Novak Djokovic has been handed a tough draw at the Cincinnati Masters, his first tournament since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals. The 24-time Grand Slam champion could face British star Jack Draper, who was left in tears during his recent first-round defeat in Montreal, in a potential third-round match.
Return to Cincinnati after 2023 triumph
Djokovic is playing in Cincinnati for the first time since winning the hard court Masters 1000 title with an epic victory over Carlos Alcaraz in 2023. That win in Ohio was followed a month later by his most recent Grand Slam title, a straight-sets victory over Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.
The 39-year-old has strived to win an all-time record 25th major title since his victory in New York. His most recent attempt ended in a semi-final defeat to Sinner at Wimbledon last month.
Potential tough opponents
Djokovic will not have liked his draw in Cincinnati. He could face Draper, who beat him in Indian Wells earlier this year, if he gets past either Thiago Agustin Tirante or Jan Choinski in his opening match. Even if Djokovic does not face Draper, he could play Italy's Matteo Arnaldi, who beat him in Madrid last year.
The Serbian great could then face rising star Jakub Mensik, who got the better of him in the 2025 Miami Masters final. The three-time Cincinnati champion is next in line to face either young French star Arthur Fils, top 10 player Alex de Minaur or Jiri Lehecka.
Path to the final
Djokovic could then face one of French Open champion Alexander Zverev, Roland Garros finalist Flavio Cobolli or rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar. He may then come up against either Medvedev or second-seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final. It would be his first meeting with the latter since their epic five-hour Wimbledon quarter-final in July, the longest last-eight match in history at the All England Club.
Djokovic's path to Cincinnati glory has been made slightly easier after the news that world No.1 Sinner and No.2 Alcaraz would not be competing due to injury. Sinner is undergoing treatment for a knee issue and has not competed since winning Wimbledon with a four-set victory over Zverev on July 12.
Alcaraz has been out of action since suffering a wrist injury in April, keeping him out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon after he won February's Australian Open. This year's US Open main draw begins on August 23 with Alcaraz, the men's defending champion, and Aryna Sabalenka looking to win three in a row in the women's event.
