# Djokovic says he may not return to Cincinnati after loss

2026-08-16T07:56:14+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Novak Djokovic suffered a shock second-round defeat at the Cincinnati Open on Saturday, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to world No. 50 Thiago Tirante. The 39-year-old, playing his first match since the Wimbledon semifinals, struggled with heat and humidity and took a medical timeout in the second set. After the loss, Djokovic hinted he might not return, saying, "It looks like I won’t be back, unfortunately to play here." Tirante called it the best win of his career, crediting his mental coach for helping him stay calm. He saved 15 break points but converted key chances. The Argentine, now 4-1 against top-10 players, will next face Martin Landaluce. In a late match, top seed Alexander Zverev beat Cameron Norrie in three sets, finishing at 2:15 am.

## Coverage

- sportstar.thehindu.com <https://sportstar.thehindu.com/tennis/novak-djokovic-loses-cincinnati-open-admits-played-last-match/article71351889.ece>
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/tennis/top-stories/novak-djokovic-suffers-shock-cincinnati-defeat-as-thiago-tirante-says-best-win-of-my-career/articleshow/133273880.cms>

This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-16T12:05:22+00:00.

Tags: Alexander Zverev, Cameron Norrie, Cincinnati Masters, Novak Djokovic, Thiago Tirante
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