Novak Djokovic suffered in the second set from punishing heat and humidity on Saturday but made a match of it before falling 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Argentine Thiago Tirante in what could be the Serb’s last appearance at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters. The second-round battle lasting for more than two and a half hours was the first match for the 39-year-old with 24 Grand Slam singles titles since he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals more than a month ago. Djokovic, who claimed the last of his three Cincinnati titles in 2023, claimed the opening set with little fuss.
Novak Djokovic suffered in the second set from punishing heat and humidity on Saturday but made a match of it before falling 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Argentine Thiago Tirante.
Djokovic took a medical timeout after that game, with the physio and then a doctor coming on court to assist with assessments and ice towels. Slightly revived, Djokovic set the pace again in the deciding set. But it all went wrong in the ninth game, when Djokovic saved three break points before getting it wrong on a drop shot to bring up a fourth break chance that his opponent converted. Tirante clinched the biggest win of his career in the next game as Djokovic again failed to land a drop shot on match point. “I tried to stay in the zone. A retirement is not the way you want to end a match, I wish her a speedy recovery. Injuries are not fun.”
He won a brutal 18-minute third game of the second, saving four break points over nine deuces but bending over in distress between points and even dropping to his hands and knees after one particularly grueling exchange. In the WTA draw, Philippines sensation Alexandra Eala advanced to the third round 6-1, 3-0 as injured Elena-Gabriela Ruse quit their match during a weather delay.
“I was playing well and feeling really focused,” Eala said.
