Novak Djokovic trains hard as he returns to Cincinnati after three years

Former World No 1 will look to add another chapter to his remarkable history at the ATP Masters 1000 event

Novak Djokovic is back on the tennis circuit and ready to begin his campaign at the Cincinnati Open, where he will look to add another chapter to his remarkable history at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

“I look forward to playing at this tournament. I played the last one in 2023 and the facilities have improved so much, tremendously. Incredible job,” Djokovic told ATP Tour.

The former World No. 1 has plenty of fond memories of Cincinnati, but his journey to becoming a three-time champion in Ohio was far from straightforward.

Djokovic won just one of his first four matches at the tournament and subsequently lost his first five finals. Two of those defeats came against Andy Murray, in 2008 and 2011, while Roger Federer beat him in three finals, in 2009, 2012 and 2015.

“It took me a while to win my first title here,” Djokovic said ahead of the 2026 edition. “I think I was four or five finals prior to winning it for the first time against Roger. Actually, I was losing mostly to him in those finals that I played previously.

Hard hurdle

“It was a hard hurdle for me to overcome. But once I got the first title, it kind of felt like a huge relief in a sense, coming back knowing that you wanted this one.”

Djokovic finally ended his Cincinnati drought in 2018, beating Federer in the final to claim his maiden title at the tournament. He went on to win the event again in 2020 and 2023.

The Serbian also remembers the strong support he has received from fans in Ohio and the wider Serbian community.

“I’ve had some great support here from Chicago and Ohio. The Serbian community is really big. That’s what I remember actually from the 2023 final and the 2018 final. There were quite a lot of Serbian flags in the stadium. That was really nice,” he said.

Djokovic has been working hard on his fitness as he prepares for another run in Cincinnati. The 39-year-old enters the tournament as the third seed and will face Thiago Agustin Tirante or Jan Choinski in his opening match.

His return to Cincinnati also marks a significant milestone in his career. Djokovic first competed at the tournament in 2005, when he lost to Fernando Gonzalez in the first round. More than two decades later, he returns as a three-time champion.

Memorable final

His most recent Cincinnati triumph in 2023 remains one of the tournament’s most memorable finals. Djokovic saved a championship point against Carlos Alcaraz before edging the Spaniard 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) after three hours and 49 minutes. The contest remains the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history since 1990.

“I wasn’t aware that this was the first Masters 1000 main draw that I played in my career,” Djokovic said, reflecting on his long association with the tournament. “It was back in 2005. It has been about 20 or 21 years that I have been coming here.

“The last time I was here, I won the title in 2023. It was one of the most epic best-of-three matches that I was ever part of.”