The second round (Round of 32) at the Cincinnati Masters 2026 has just begun, and we are already witnessing one of the biggest sensations of the tournament. The Ohio crowd was left stunned early this morning as title contender Novak Djokovic was unexpectedly eliminated from the draw.
Massive Sensation: Tirante Capitalizes on Djokovic’s Exhaustion
Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, a player who generally prefers clay courts, pulled off the biggest upset of the day by defeating Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. The Serbian tennis legend opened the match brilliantly, cruising through the first set without much trouble, but serious physical issues emerged as the match progressed.
While leading 2-1 in the second set, Djokovic was forced to call a medical timeout due to visible exhaustion, reportedly telling his team that his legs were “giving out.” Although he found the strength to continue the grueling match, which lasted 2 hours and 44 minutes, his lack of energy was evident right up to the final point.
Tirante sensed his opportunity and played fearlessly when it mattered most. The Argentine recorded 13 aces and hit an impressive 40 winners. While Djokovic showed his trademark fighting spirit by saving 13 out of 15 break points, he committed 37 unforced errors compared to just 25 winners, which ultimately prevented him from staging a comeback.
📊 Stat of the Day: Cobolli Remains Kecmanovic’s Kryptonite
In another notable matchup, Miomir Kecmanovic was eliminated by his biggest rival this season – Italy’s Flavio Cobolli. The Italian claimed the victory with a score of 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
This result is statistically incredible, as it marks their third meeting on hard courts this year, and Cobolli has won all three encounters with the exact same set score (2-1). He previously defeated the Serbian player at the tournaments in Acapulco and Indian Wells. While Kecmanovic holds a historic H2H advantage from their 2022 meeting in Naples, the energetic Italian clearly has the perfect formula to dismantle his game in 2026.
Other Notable Results (Round of 32)
Although only a handful of second-round matches have been completed so far, the fans enjoyed several more exhausting tennis battles:
- Australia’s Alex De Minaur survived massive drama and secured a comeback victory, eliminating Frenchman Quentin Halys 2-6, 6-3, 7-6.
- Young Czech star Jakub Mensik defeated Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in another heavy three-set thriller – 7-5, 2-6, 7-6.
- Alejandro Tabilo routinely sent Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff home with a straight-sets win (6-3, 6-4).
With such a shocking start to the second round, the rest of the week guarantees incredible drama! For the complete draw, daily schedules, and continuous tournament coverage, visit our central Cincinnati Masters 2026 Hub.
