news-engine

Novak Djokovic beaten on return to court ahead of US Open as Thiago Agustin Tirante enjoys 'best win of career' at Cincinnati Masters By Ben Southby Published 15/08/2026 at 23:47 GMT+1 React to this story Novak Djokovic, warming up for the US Open, has been knocked out of the 2026 Cincinnati Masters in the second round by Argentine player Thiago Agustin Tirante after a lacklustre display on Saturday. Swiatek enjoys 'best week of the season so far' after winning first title of 2026 in Toronto Video credit: SNTV The Serbian, who had not played since reaching the Wimbledon semi-final in July, finally made his return to the court after speaking glowingly about his recovery, saying it was "the best my body has felt in two years". Djokovic, however, looked as though he was struggling midway through the opening set, but he still put himself in the driving seat with a 6-2 advantage. However, the 39-year-old became noticeably weaker with the heat and humidity. After winning an 18-minute third game of the second set, he slumped to the floor on his hands and knees before calling for a medical timeout. He went on to lose the second set 6-4, before Tirante repeated the scoreline in the third and final set to win 2-6 6-4 6-4 after a two-hour and 45-minute encounter. After the match, the 25-year-old - who is ranked a career-high world No. 50 - named his victory over the 24-time Grand Slam champion as "the best win of my career". "I think I really did a good job inside the court," he continued. "I managed the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak very well. "Now I feel relieved, because it is all so much pressure when you cannot break [serve]. I had so many points to break, and I couldn’t, so that was the key. Keep believing in myself with my team and think about it after the match. "Thinking about my family and my friends that are in Argentina watching me, they are really happy to watch me on TV. They are in Argentina, but they are in my head as well. - Bautista Agut makes perfect start to new sporting career - Swiatek ends title drought as Shelton retains Canadian Open crown - Roddick compares Djokovic late-career style changes to Federer's "The confidence [my team] gives me [is key]. I think we are doing a really good job with my mental [coach]. They are helping me a lot, and I think this has been the key this year, to believe in myself more and listen to my team between the points in the match. "So I think I am doing the right things." Tirante made the decisive break at 4-4 in the deciding set after converting a fourth break point of the set, before closing out the victory. He will face Martin Landaluce in the third round. Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this. Watch and stream top tennis action, including the 2027 Australian Open and 2027 French Open, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max. Related Topics Advertisement Advertisement