Novak Djokovic beaten by Thiago Agustín Tirante in Cincinnati as heat hampers defending star
Novak Djokovic was defeated 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by Thiago Agustín Tirante at the Cincinnati Open on August 15, 2026, a match in which humidity left the 39-year-old visibly struggling. Djokovic spent large portions of the second and third sets bent over between points and ultimately could not recover from the physical toll of the conditions.
Djokovic has prioritised grand slam tournaments and the Olympics at this stage of his career, a stance reflected in his schedule this year. He reached the final at Roland Garros and the semi-final at Wimbledon last month, while Cincinnati was only his third non-grand slam event of the season. Across his appearances at Indian Wells, Rome and Cincinnati he has a 2-3 record and has not reached the quarter-finals at those tournaments.
The match began in Djokovic’s favour as he took the opening set 6-2, but signs of distress appeared early in the second set. From the second set onwards he frequently squatted and bent over between points as he struggled to catch his breath in the Ohio humidity. The scoreboard did not yet indicate the extent of his discomfort when those physical signs emerged.
Djokovic called for the physio and doctor while leading 6-2, 2-1, where he vomited into a towel before having his blood pressure checked, and he moved at half-speed for most of the remainder of the match. “It was not an enjoyable match for me, for sure, the way I felt,” Djokovic said. “Not the first, I guess, not the last time, but it is what it is.”
Tirante, a 25-year-old Argentinian and world No 50, used his powerful serve and a strong forehand to keep Djokovic pinned behind the baseline and close out the victory. The win was described as the biggest of Tirante’s career and left him with a 4-1 record against top 10 opponents.
After the match Djokovic walked directly from the court to his media conference and outlined ongoing problems with playing in humid conditions. “It’s just the condition that I have health-wise,” he said. “It’s been bothering me for the last couple of years. And a lot of issues, especially when it’s humid and hot. Yeah.” He added that nerves and match tension exacerbated the situation: “Yeah, I did, but it is all these things … nerves and everything involved makes it worse. So that’s what happened.”
Djokovic said he had expected a difficult day and that his appearance in Cincinnati was intended to provide match practice before the US Open after a promotional tour for his upcoming Amazon Prime documentary and time spent in the United States during the World Cup. “I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately. But let’s see what the future brings,” he said when asked if he would return to Cincinnati.
Djokovic now faces the task of regaining form ahead of the US Open, where he has reached the semi-final or better in six of his last seven grand slam appearances.