Novak Djokovic reveals multi-year health issue and addresses retirement after brutal Cincinnati loss

Novak Djokovic has revealed the existence of an recurring health issue, days after claiming his body is at its 'best in years', then addressed retirement after a brutal loss at the Cincinnati Open to Thiago Agustin Tirante.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion endured a hard-fought loss to his Argentine opponent, falling 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 to Tirante in little under three hours.

The Serbian fell short in almost every measure throughout the Masters 1000 showdown; he offered 15 break points to the Argentine and saved 13 of them, with the two converted being crucial in Tirante’s return from a set down.

Throughout the match, Djokovic was seen getting increasingly flustered under the hot American sun. At one point, he dropped to his knees at the back of the court, arms pressed into the ground, and took a medical time-out.

During a break between games, the Serbian was also pictured holding two large ice packs against each of his ears, clearly struggling to cope with the heat as Tirante proceeded to claw back the deficit.

The scenes were reminiscent of his experience at the US Open in recent years, where Djokovic has been pictured shaking and even hiding his face with a towel on the bench.

After the loss, the Serbian confirmed the existence of a multi-year health issue which affects him in strong heat, and revealed he is “more likely” than not to never return to Cincinnati again.

Djokovic reveals multi-year health issue, and addresses possibility of Cincinnati retirement

The 39-year-old began by congratulating his opponent, before taking questions about his physical struggles during the match.

“Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant match for me. 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,” said Djokovic.

Heading into the tournament, the Serbian revealed that his body hasn’t felt so well after a Grand Slam in years, stating that he wanted to play one more tournament before the US Open.

Djokovic’s previous match was a semi-final loss at Wimbledon to World #1 and eventual tournament winner Jannik Sinner; the 39-year-old hasn’t seen much success at Masters events in recent years, but deemed it necessary to play Cincy to prepare for this year’s final hardcourt Grand Slam.

READ NEXT: Novak Djokovic's 'absurd' proposed rule change slammed by tennis icon before Cincinnati Open

Despite that proclamation regarding his physical health, Djokovic’s tune abruptly changed after the loss, revealing the existence of a multi-year health issue.

He said: “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.”

When asked whether he would return to Cincinnati, the response was indicative of an athlete who knows his days on the ATP Tour are numbered.

“Unfortunately, at this point, it seems more likely that I won’t be back next year," he said. “But let's see what the future holds, I hope I do,” revealed the 24-time Slam champion.

The Serbian has previously expressed his desire to play in the 2028 Olympics, however, the future remains uncertain as to whether the 39-year-old will be able to continue playing.