New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) World number six and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Cincinnati Open, the organisers said.

The 38-year-old Serbian, who has reached three Grand Slam semifinals so far in 2025, was scheduled to make his first hard-court appearance since his semifinal defeat at Wimbledon in July, cited “non-medical reasons” for his withdrawal.

Djokovic’s withdrawal follows his earlier decision to skip the Canadian Masters in Toronto, citing a groin injury, marking two consecutive missed ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.

The three-time champion owns a 45-12 tournament record at the ATP Masters 1000, according to the ATP Win/Loss Index. In his most recent appearance at the event, he saved a championship point to beat Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in an instant-classic 2023 final.

Djokovic is 26-9 this season, a year in which he won his 100th tour-level title in Geneva in May. He has played just two events since that triumph, reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon but losing to Jannik Sinner at both majors.

Djokovic is next scheduled to play at the US Open, where main-draw action begins Aug. 24. He is pursuing his 25th Grand Slam title, which would set an all-time record for men’s and women’s singles combined, tying the record currently held by Margaret Court on the women’s side.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner has arrived at the Cincinnati Open, where he will aim to defend his title at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Ohio. The 23-year-old Italian is seeking his maiden Masters 1000 trophy of 2025. Sinner will be joined at the event by Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Carlos Alcaraz, who fell to Sinner in the Wimbledon final.

The Cincinnati Open begins on Thursday and has undergone a major transformation as it expands to a two-week, 96-player event in 2025, coinciding with a USD 260 million campus renovation. This expansion aims to enhance both player and fan experiences, with the addition of new courts. The final will be played on August 18.

–IANS

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