Novak Djokovic, chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Masters, tournament organizers confirmed Monday, marking his second straight ATP Masters 1000 absence following his pullout from Toronto.
That means Djokovic will head into the U.S. Open – beginning Aug. 25 – without playing a match in over a month.
The 38-year-old Serbian's last outing? A semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon on July 11.
That defeat to the world No. 1 ended Djokovic’s pursuit of an eighth title at the All England Club and has since been followed by radio silence on court.
While his absence from North America's hard-court warmups is unusual, it’s not entirely unexpected.
Djokovic has grown more selective with his calendar, prioritizing longevity over grind.
At 38, with a Paris 2024 Olympic gold already in the bag this season – his first, clinched in a dramatic win over Carlos Alcaraz – Djokovic appears to be pacing himself.
He’s still the reigning U.S. Open champion, having lifted his 24th Slam there in 2024, but missing Toronto and Cincinnati means no chance to test his form on hard courts ahead of Flushing Meadows.
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati field is stacked. Sinner and Alcaraz – who also sat out Toronto to recharge post-Olympics – are both set to compete, sharpening their tools before New York.
The 23-year-old Italian is riding high, fresh off back-to-back Slam wins in Melbourne and Wimbledon, while Alcaraz, still only 22, boasts Slams on grass, clay, and hard court.
With Sinner now world No. 1 and Djokovic trailing him at No. 2, the race for supremacy heads into the final Slam with high stakes. Djokovic won’t be defending his Cincinnati title from 2024, risking a further dip in ranking points.
Yet his 2025 record – 29 wins, 7 losses, plus titles at Indian Wells and the Olympics – still speaks volumes.
Cincinnati will miss his star power, but the show goes on. Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverev, Medvedev, Rublev, and more round out a blockbuster men’s draw.
