After 3-year absence, Novak Djokovic returning to Cincinnati Open in 2026
MASON, Ohio —
One of the top tennis players in the world is returning to the Cincinnati Open after a three-year absence.
Announced Thursday by the tournament, Novak Djokovic will be playing in his first Cincinnati Open since 2023 this year.
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“I’m happy to announce I’m coming to the Cincinnati Open this year,” Djokovic said in the video. “I can’t wait to come back and perform in front of you. I’m very excited to see all the fans, from around the world, that will be present at the tournament.”
A three-time Cincinnati Open champion, Djokovic called his 2023 win over Carlos Alcaraz “one of the best best-of-3 finals” in his Masters 1000 career.
Djokovic fended off the Spaniard in three sets—5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4)—for the 2023 title. The match lasted a tournament record three hours, 49 minutes.
In the Cincinnati Open, Djokovic has a 45-12 record and has reached the final five times, winning it all in 2018, 2020 and 2023.
The 39-year-old Serbian has a 10-match winning streak in the tournament, having won in his last two appearances (2020, 2023).
More than halfway through 2026, Djokovic has not won a singles title so far this year, having gone 14-5. Earlier this month, he reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, falling to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in three sets (4-6, 4-6, 4-6).
His best tournament result this year came in the Australian Open, where he made the final but fell to Alcaraz in four sets (6-2, 2-6, 3-6, 5-7).
The 2026 Cincinnati Open begins on Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 23. This year will mark the second year of the tournament’s expanded field, with 96 men’s and women’s players taking part last year.
After two years of playing the singles finals on a Monday, this year’s single finals will be played on Sunday.
Ticket information can be found on the tournament’s website.