Novak Djokovic's first appearance at the thousand-point Cincinnati Masters ended in defeat to Thiago Tirante, a result that once again laid bare the Serbian's struggles in physically demanding contests and raised fresh doubts over his readiness for the US Open.
Djokovic began strongly, imposing control through his distinctive strokes. Then his physical condition visibly declined at the start of the second set. Tirante seized the initiative and exploited his opponent's struggles, with the Serbian calling for the medical team after a game that lasted 16 minutes.
Once the treatment period ended, Djokovic could not claim a single point on his return during the rest of the second set. He lost the encounter and exited a tournament where he had not tasted defeat since 2019, having claimed the title in the last two editions he entered.
The drop in level, Djokovic explained, stemmed from a health problem he has suffered for years, one whose effect worsens in extreme heat and humidity. Those were exactly the conditions he faced against Tirante.
He insisted afterwards that the problem was not down to the conditions alone. Psychological pressure and the nerves accompanying such matches, he pointed out, made the situation harder still. He then hinted at not returning to Cincinnati in the future, saying he hoped to come back but that the matter currently seemed unlikely.
Defeat only sharpens the question marks over Djokovic's condition ahead of the US Open. He will arrive at the last of the season's four majors without a single official match on hard courts beforehand, echoing his build-up to both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.