Novak Djokovic’s stay at the Cincinnati Open came to a disappointing end on Saturday, but the bigger concern was the physical trouble he faced during his defeat to Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion went down 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to the world No. 50 in a gruelling contest that lasted two hours and 44 minutes. Played in extremely hot and humid conditions, the match saw Djokovic struggle physically as the contest progressed.

For Djokovic, the defeat also raised questions over whether this was his final appearance at Cincinnati.

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Djokovic Struggles In The Heat

Djokovic looked comfortable early on and took the opening set 6-2. However, Tirante fought his way back into the contest and gradually began to take advantage of Djokovic’s physical struggles.

The Serbian appeared to be finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the heat and humidity, with the conditions taking a toll on him as the match entered its later stages.

After the match, Djokovic revealed that an unspecified health condition has been bothering him for the past couple of years, particularly when playing in hot and humid conditions.

“It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,” Djokovic said.

“A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot.”

Djokovic admitted that he knew the conditions could be difficult before stepping onto the court, but the nerves and intensity of the match made the situation worse.

Tirante Completes Biggest Win Of His Career

While Djokovic struggled, Tirante stayed composed and produced one of the biggest wins of his career.

The 25-year-old Argentine recovered after losing the first set and took the second 6-4 to level the match. The deciding set remained closely contested before Tirante found the crucial breakthrough in the ninth game.

He broke Djokovic’s serve and then held his own serve to complete a stunning 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory.

“I think this is the best win of my career,” Tirante said after the match.

“I think I really did a good job inside the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak.”

Djokovic Saves 13 Break Points

Despite his physical problems, Djokovic refused to give up and fought hard throughout the contest.

The Serbian saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced, underlining just how difficult Tirante had to work to finally get the decisive break in the third set.

However, once Tirante broke Djokovic in the ninth game, there was no way back for the five-time Cincinnati finalist.

The defeat also brought an end to Djokovic’s impressive 10-match winning streak at the tournament.

Another Early Exit For Djokovic

Djokovic was playing his first tournament since his semifinal defeat to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon.

The 39-year-old had hoped to build some momentum ahead of the US Open, which begins on August 30 in New York, but his Cincinnati campaign ended much earlier than expected.

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The Serbian has enjoyed tremendous success at the tournament over the years, winning the title three times in 2018, 2020 and 2023. He entered the latest edition with a 45-13 record in Cincinnati.

But after Saturday’s defeat, Djokovic was unsure whether he would return to the tournament again.

“I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,” he said when asked about returning.

“But let’s see what the future brings.”

With Cincinnati behind him, Djokovic’s attention will now turn towards the US Open.