Novak Djokovic Reveals He’s Been ‘Dealing With (A Health Issue) For Many Years Now’

MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 15: Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts during a lucifer against Thiago Agustín Tirante of Argentina connected time 5 of the Cincinnati Open astatine Lindner Family Tennis Center connected August 15, 2026 successful Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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With conscionable 2 weeks to spell earlier he bids for a grounds 25th Grand Slam title astatine the U.S. Open, tennis fable Novak Djokovic revealed he’s been “dealing pinch [a wellness issue] for galore years now.”

The 24-time awesome champion sewage down connected his knees connected the tribunal and later appeared to vomit into a towel during his 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 nonaccomplishment to Argentina’s Thiago Agustín Tirante successful the Serb’s first lucifer astatine the Cincinnati Open. The power reached the mid-80s and the humidity was successful the low-90s for the match.

“First and foremost, I congratulate my force today,” the 39-year-old Djokovic, who was playing his first lucifer since losing to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner successful the Wimbledon semifinals much than a period ago, told reporters.

“Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant lucifer for me. That’s really I’ve felt. It hasn’t been the first time, and it won’t beryllium the last. That’s conscionable really it is.

“The conditions aren’t the problem. It’s because of a wellness rumor I have. I’ve been dealing pinch it for galore years now. It causes maine a batch of problems, particularly erstwhile there’s a batch of humidity and heat."

Djokovic, agelong known to spell to awesome lengths to return attraction of his body, did not spell into greater item connected the specifics of the issue.

Djokovic was asked if he thinks he’ll play Cincinnati again adjacent year, and his consequence was telling.

“Unfortunately, astatine this point, it seems much apt that I won’t beryllium backmost adjacent year," he said. “But let's spot what the early holds, I dream I do."

After winning the first group comparatively easily, the Serb began to struggle successful the second.

The Serb held successful a sadistic 18-minute 3rd crippled game of the 2nd set, redeeming 4 break points crossed 9 deuces. But he bent complete successful the power and moreover dropped to his hands and knees aft 1 particularly difficult point.

Djokovic called for a aesculapian timeout and was visited by the physio and past a doctor. He took tablets and utilized crystal packs connected his caput and cervix during the break.

“Djoker looks for illustration was struggling successful 2nd group and was letting return games go,” Brad Gilbert wrote connected X/Twitter.

The players went to the locker room aft Tirante won the 2nd set, and erstwhile they returned Djokovic appeared to beryllium successful amended information but he was yet surgery successful the ninth crippled connected a 4th break-point opportunity for Tirante that made it 4-5. The Argentine past closed retired the lucifer pinch easiness connected his serve.

For the 25-year-old Tirante, it was the latest dragon-slayer infinitesimal of his season. He hit Ben Shelton successful April successful Houston connected clay and took down Taylor Fritz successful the first information of the Canadian Open successful Montreal.

“I deliberation this is the champion triumph of my career,” Tirante said. “I deliberation I really did a bully occupation wrong the court. I managed very good the nerves of playing against a fable for illustration Novak. Now I consciousness relieved, because it is each truthful overmuch unit erstwhile you cannot break [serve]. I had truthful galore points to break and I couldn’t, truthful that was the key, to support believing successful myself pinch my squad and deliberation astir it aft the match.

“Thinking astir my family and my friends that are successful Argentina watching me, they are really happy to watch maine connected TV… They are successful Argentina, but they are successful my caput arsenic well.”

With Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz having pulled retired of Cincinnati, the tourney is now devoid of 3 superstars successful the men’s draw.

Top seed Alexander Zverev overcame a first-set nonaccomplishment to prevail complete Cameron Norrie 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 successful a two-hour, 35-minute contest.

In a lucifer that began Saturday nighttime but vanished successful the early hours of Sunday morning, Zverev earned his first triumph of his 2026 North American hard-court plaything and avoided back-to-back opening-round losses astatine the ATP Masters 1000 level. The triumph besides extended Zverev’s grounds to 8-0 successful his head-to-head against Norrie.

Zverev, the existent No. 2 successful the ATP Live Rankings, remains the favourite to triumph his 2nd title aft hoisting the trophy successful 2021.

As for Djokovic, he now has 2 weeks to regroup earlier the commencement of the U.S. Open connected Aug. 30. Djokovic won his past awesome astatine the 2023 U.S. Open, and it’s ever imaginable this will beryllium his past quality astatine the New York City major.