Novak Djokovic’s shocking admission after collapsing to his knees in Cincinnati loss: ‘It bothered me for years’
Novak Djokovic He suffered a surprise elimination in his first appearance since then WimbledonHe lost to Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round of the 2026 tournament Cincinnati Masters. The Serbian player won the first set, but struggled in the hot conditions before finally surrendering after two hours and 44 minutes.
Djokovic was playing his first match since losing in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Heading into the Masters 1000 in Ohio, where he is on a 10-match winning streak and lifting the title in 2023, Djokovic said his body “reacted well after Wimbledon” and felt better than he had after any major tournament in the past two years.
But the heat and humidity quickly took their toll.
After the first switch, Djokovic collapsed to his knees in exhaustion and was given a medical timeout. He was protected with towels at rest while he vomited.
Despite his struggles, the 39-year-old continued to fight, saving 13 of the 15 break points he faced against world number 50 Tirante. But his resistance finally gave way when his serve was broken in the ninth game of the deciding set, allowing Tirante to take the match.
After the defeat, Djokovic revealed that an unspecified health condition made it particularly difficult for him to play in hot and humid conditions.
“It’s just a health condition that has been bothering me for the last two years,” Djokovic said. “There are a lot of problems, especially when it’s hot and humid. I expected it to be humid, but there are all these things, like nerves and everything that goes with it that make it worse, and that’s what happened.”
Djokovic achieved great success in Cincinnati, achieving a record of 45 wins against 13 wins and three titles in 2018, 2020 and 2023. But after his latest defeat, he admitted that he is not sure whether he will return to the tournament again.
“I certainly hope so, but unfortunately it seems not to be the case,” Djokovic said. “But let’s see what the future holds.”
Djokovic’s focus now turns to the US Open, which starts on August 30 in New York.
