For Novak Djokovic, his loss at the recent Cincinnati Open proved a particularly difficult one.
The 39-year-old tennis legend, who is gunning for another Grand Slam title at the US Open later this month, his milestone 25th, lost during the second round of the Cincinnati Open over the weekend, his first match since losing to Jannik Sinner at the Wimbledon semi-finals.
He lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to 25-year-old Argentine player Thiago Agustín Tirante, and sparked concern when videos online captured him seemingly vomiting into his towel after his loss, especially due to the heat.
Later, at a press conference per Forbes, Novak opened up about some of the health struggles contributing to his game and his condition after, especially one he'd been dealing with for "years."
"First and foremost, I congratulate my opponent today," he began. "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."
He clarified, however, that it wasn't just the heat itself contributing to his weakened health. "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."
© Getty Images"I did anticipate it [would be humid], but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that's what happened," he added.
Novak does not specify what health issue he's actually dealing with, but did say that he felt in peak condition after Wimbledon and thought he could handle Cincinnati better. "It was the best that my body felt after any Grand Slam in the last two years, to be honest," he said of his time in Wimbledon. "This time I was healthy and wanted to play [Cincinnati]."
However, he confirmed that more than likely, he won't be returning to Cincinnati. "Unfortunately, at this point, it seems more likely that I won't be back next year. But let's see what the future holds, I hope I do."
© Getty ImagesNovak is expected to play at the US Open in New York City, which kicks off on August 30, and is hoping to win his 25th Grand Slam title. And he recently told CBS Mornings why he especially enjoys heading to the United States East Coast for tournaments.
"It's the most, I think, entertaining, most exciting Grand Slam," he shared. "One of the biggest things of why I still compete is the energy of the crowd and the appreciation and respect that I've been getting, particularly in the last several years, around the world is something I… cannot thank people enough."
© Getty ImagesOn August 20, a feature-length documentary titled Novak Djokovic: The Wolf in Winter, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video, covering the life and career of the Serbian tennis icon.
