![\"Tirante](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/skysports-thiago-agustin-tirante_7322906.jpg\")
<\/p>\nNovak Djokovic suffered defeat and struggled physically in his first match since Wimbledon as he was upset by Thiago Agustin Tirante in a sapping three-set contest at the Cincinnati Open.<\/p>\n
Djokovic, inactive on the ATP Tour since losing to Jannik Sinner at the grass-court Grand Slam on July 10, won the first set 6-2 but then lost the next two 6-4 as he battled the heat and humidity in Ohio, even appearing to vomit at one stage.<\/p>\n
The 24-time major champion won an 18-minute third game of the second set, fending off four break points over nine deuces, before taking a medical timeout, while he dropped to his hands and knees at certain points in a match that lasted two hours and 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
Tirante revels in ‘best win of career’<\/p>\n
Tirante, who can look forward to a third-round meeting with Spain’s Martin Landaluce, made the decisive break at 4-4 in the decider after converting his fourth break point of the game and then closed out the win on serve.<\/p>\n
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\n Tirante says his win over Djokovic was the best of his career<\/p>\n
He said afterwards: “This is the best win of my career. I really did a good job inside the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak. Now I feel relieved.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Djokovic was the third seed in Cincinnati despite sitting fifth in the world rankings, with world No 1 Sinner withdrawing due to a knee injury and world No 3 Carlos Alcaraz also absent as he continues to deal with a lingering wrist issue.<\/p>\n
Top seed Alexander Zverev plays Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the second round overnight.<\/p>\n
Britain’s Boulter out of women’s tournament <\/p>\n
Twitter<\/p>\n
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies. Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies. Enable Cookies<\/a> British women’s No 2 Katie Boulter saw her campaign end in the second round with a 6-3 6-3 defeat to Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.<\/p>\n Noskova, who served 10 aces compared to Boulter’s none, converted four of the nine break points she fashioned and was only broken once in return.<\/p>\n Boulter had snapped a five-match losing streak on the WTA Tour by beating America’s Katie Volynets in three sets in the first round, winning the decider after losing the second set 6-0.<\/p>\n
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