It was a shock defeat for Novak Djokovic on his return to the Cincinnati Open three years after winning his last title in the Masters 1000 event in Ohio. He lost to world No. 50 Thiago Tirante in the second round of the tournament, in what was his first appearance on court since the semifinal loss against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon. But the bigger concern after the defeat was the health issue that emerged during the match, which affected the result and could even affect his retirement plans.
For a while now, Djokovic has been bothered by questions on his future, increasingly so after rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal exited the scene, leaving him the sole member of the Big Three still active. With every missed opportunity at the unprecedented 25th career major, the question has haunted him, and the answer was the same each time. The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics remain his swansong.
However, the recent health struggles and his admitting that it has affected him for a few years now, could see that retirement decision get preponed.
Last weekend, Djokovic won the opening set against Thiago, but at the first changeover he collapsed to his knees in the sweltering conditions in Ohio and took a medical time-out, during which he vomited into a towel and had his blood pressure checked. And although he went on to save 15 of his 18 break points, he succumbed in three sets.
"First and foremost, I congratulate my opponent today. Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant match for me," Djokovic said after the match. "That’s how I’ve felt. It hasn’t been the first time, and it won’t be the last. That’s just how it is.
{{/usCountry}}"First and foremost, I congratulate my opponent today. Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant match for me," Djokovic said after the match. "That’s how I’ve felt. It hasn’t been the first time, and it won’t be the last. That’s just how it is.
{{/usCountry}}"The conditions aren’t the problem. It’s because of a health issue I have. I’ve been dealing with it for many years now.
"It causes me a lot of problems, especially when there’s a lot of humidity and heat. I️ knew these conditions were going to affect me, but there are other things too: the nerves and everything that comes with a match like this. All of that makes the situation worse, and that’s what happened."
The Serb also added that he is unlikely to return to Cincinnati in the future, where he lifted three of his career titles. "It looks like I won’t be back, unfortunately, to play here. It was a combination of the heat and humidity, all those things. Everything involved makes it worse."
The health situation, however, which has largely been talked about in the wake of the defeat could impact Djokovic's plan to extend his career until the summer of 2028. He will be 41 by then, when he attempts to retain his gold medal in Los Angeles.
"I’ve always had this throughout my life and my career, I’ve always had a schedule in my head for a year or more, what I want, how I want it," Djokovic had said in 2025 after winning the Hellenic Championship in Athens.
"Since I’ve achieved absolutely all possible goals, I said about the 2028 Olympics because I wanted to play for so many more years. So maybe ending up at the Olympic Games with the Serbian flag, that would be nice."
However, Djokovic did add caution, saying that his plans could change in the future. He explained: "I really don’t know. Because there are some things that are not entirely in my control. I’m trying to be as healthy as possible mentally and physically."
Djokovic’s struggles in Cincinnati, coupled with his admission about his health issue, put his earlier comments in a different perspective and raise fresh questions over how his retirement plans could evolve over the next two years. The big question now is whether the tennis great can rediscover his best form in time for the US Open, which begins on August 30.