Cincinnati Open: Djokovic stunned by Tirante in second round

What the report says

Novak Djokovic was eliminated from the Cincinnati Open in Mason, Ohio, after losing his second-round match to Argentina’s Thiago Tirante, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, according to Al Jazeera’s report on August 16, 2026. The 24-time Grand Slam champion had been playing his first match since Wimbledon and struggled in extreme heat and humidity, requiring a medical timeout during the contest. The match lasted more than two and a half hours.

Djokovic started well by taking the first set, but Al Jazeera reported that the conditions worsened his physical discomfort as the match went on. Tirante recovered after dropping the opener and closed out the biggest win of his career in the deciding set. Djokovic said afterward that the weather had made the match harder and suggested this could have been his final appearance at the event.

The defeat is notable because Djokovic was the defending Cincinnati champion from 2023 and is now turning his attention toward the US Open, which begins later in August. In the men’s draw, top seed Alexander Zverev also advanced after a three-set win over Cameron Norrie. In the women’s competition, Philippines player Alexandra Eala moved into the third round after her opponent retired during a weather delay, while other seeded players also progressed.