Even while Novak Djokovic was ahead by a set in his opening match at the Cincinnati Open, the signs were already troubling. The scoreboard did not reflect it, but the Serb was laboring in the notorious Ohio humidity. By the end, Thiago AgustÃn Tirante of Argentina had produced the shock of the tournament, battling to a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory and the biggest win of his career.
Djokovic spent much of the second set hunched over and squatting between points, scrambling for air in the heavy, wet conditions that have long made Cincinnati one of the most physically demanding stops on the ATP tour. The 39-year-old former world No 1 called for the physio and doctor while leading 6-2, 2-1, vomiting into a towel before having his blood pressure checked. He moved at half speed for the remainder of the match, unable to summon the energy to keep pace with his younger opponent.
After more than a decade of dominating the sport on every surface, Djokovic has grown accustomed to early exits at tournaments outside the Grand Slams. He has repeatedly stated that the majors and the Olympics are his priority at this stage of his career, and his schedule reflects that. He reached the Australian Open final and returned to the Wimbledon semi-finals last month, but this was only his third tournament outside the Grand Slams this season. At Indian Wells, Rome and Cincinnati, he has failed to reach the quarter-finals, compiling a 2-3 record in the process.
Early on, it looked as though Djokovic would ease through the opening round, as he rolled through the first set without any fuss. But the humidity began to erode his condition early in the second set, and from that point he was merely going through the motions. “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, meanwhile, never wavered. The 25-year-old Argentinian, ranked 50th in the world, is among the biggest servers on tour, and he used that weapon along with a potent forehand to keep Djokovic pinned behind the baseline. The victory improved Tirante’s record against top 10 opponents to 4-1.
Djokovic walked straight from the court to his media conference, where he explained his struggles. “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 acknowledged that he had anticipated a difficult day but said the combination of nerves and the physical toll made it worse. “Yeah, I did, but it is all these things … nerves and everything involved makes it worse. So that’s what happened.”
When asked whether he might return to Cincinnati in the future, Djokovic replied: “I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately. But let’s see what the future brings.”
Djokovic’s arrival in Cincinnati came after a promotional tour for his upcoming Amazon Prime documentary, which included time in the United States during the World Cup. He had said before the tournament that he wanted to play a few matches ahead of the US Open, but instead he faces the challenge of finding his feet quickly in New York. He has reached the semi-finals or better in six of his last seven Grand Slam appearances.
There was more encouraging news for British tennis as Arthur Fery survived a tense opening match to beat Australia’s James Duckworth 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4) and reach the third round of his first Cincinnati main draw. Fery, the 32nd seed, had taken four weeks off after Wimbledon, where he reached the semi-finals at the All England Club. That run changed the trajectory of his career, but despite being seeded, this was his first direct appearance at this level and his first Masters 1000 main draw victory.
Fery started brightly, striking the ball early and dictating from the baseline, but his level dipped as the match wore on, and he found himself in a deciding set. Both players held serve comfortably until the tie-break, where Duckworth moved ahead 4-3 with a mini-break. Fery responded with two powerful deep returns to edge in front at 5-4, then closed out with excellent serving.
Awaiting Fery in the third round is the fifth seed, Alex de Minaur, who overcame a slow start to defeat French qualifier Quentin Halys 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Djokovic’s defeat leaves him searching for form ahead of the US Open, while Fery advances to face Alex de Minaur in the third round.
