Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski believes Novak Djokovic ought to be “protected” by tournament organisers after his early exit at the Cincinnati Open.

Djokovic fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to world No 50 Thiago Agustin Tirante in his opening match at the Masters 1000 event in Mason, Ohio on Saturday. The 24-time Grand Slam champion looked in command through the first set, but the extreme afternoon heat and humidity quickly changed the tone of the contest.

After the defeat, Djokovic explained that he has been managing a health issue that creates “a lot of issues” in difficult weather. “It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years. A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot,” the 39-year-old Serbian said.

“I did anticipate it, but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.”

On the latest episode of his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, Rusedski said the scheduling in Cincinnati was too harsh for Djokovic and argued that night sessions are the safer option.

“I’m just happy to have Novak around whenever it’s possible. He’s 39 years of age, what he’s achieved is phenomenal,” said the former world No 4.

He added that the conditions in Cincinnati can be punishing for anyone, not only an older player. “Novak has to be protected. He can’t be playing during the day. He has to be playing in the evenings, from 7 o’clock onwards. He’s earned the right to do so.”

Rusedski also pointed to the physical demands of the match and said Tirante used the conditions well after dropping the opening set. “So, for me, scheduling plays a part. I know you can’t always protect your big names because of rain and different things, but I think sometimes, you have to do those things.”

Former world No 4 Greg Rusedski has given a strong assessment of Alex Eala, saying he does not expect her to fall into the kind of “mistake” that can derail young players. In his view, Rafael Nadal’s presence as a mentor has been central to that stability.

Eala opened her 2026 Cincinnati Open campaign with a second-round win over Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who retired while trailing 1-6, 0-3. The 21-year-old arrived in Cincinnati on the back of a productive run in North America, having reached the fourth round in Toronto and won her first WTA Tour title in Washington DC.

Now ranked No 20 in the world, Eala will next meet No 10 Amanda Anisimova in the third round of the WTA 1000 event. Rusedski, speaking on his Off Court With Greg Rusedski podcast, was especially taken with the way Eala has handled her schedule and results.

“It’s incredible. I mean, yeah, she ran out of gas against [Belinda] Bencic, and Bencic played a great match, but what I’m liking is she’s playing week-in, week-out,” said the former British No 1.

“She has no excuses. She performs, if she wins; she wins, if she loses; she loses. No excuse, I’m giving 110%. The attitude is there.

Rusedski also pointed to the support structure around the Filipina, including Nadal, her coach, her physio and her agent, as well as her time at the Nadal academy.

“I look at it like this — she’s got Rafael Nadal as a mentor, she’s been at the Nadal academy. She has been a junior world No 1, and she’s got her coach, who does an excellent job,” said Rusedski.

He added that Eala appears to be managing the balance between playing enough and not overdoing it, describing her as someone who is thinking long-term. For Rusedski, that combination of attitude, guidance and perspective makes her one of the more compelling players on the WTA Tour right now.

Venus Williams’ difficult singles run continued at the Cincinnati Open, where she fell to Colombia’s Emilia Arango and suffered a 14th straight defeat on the WTA Tour. The result, a 6-2, 6-2 loss to the world No 95, has intensified the discussion around whether she should continue receiving wild cards into top-level events.

Arango had won only six matches on the main WTA Tour in 2026, yet she handled the match with authority. For Williams, now 46, the setback added to a sequence that has been hard to ignore. She has lost every singles match she has played in 2026 and has taken only three sets across those eight defeats.

Her last singles victory came against Peyton Stearns in Washington last year. Since then, the results have pointed to a steep decline that is understandable given her age, but also difficult to reconcile with the practice of repeatedly placing her in elite draws. Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, has not reached a major final since her strong Wimbledon run nine years ago. She has not won a WTA Tour title since the Taiwan Open in February 2016.

Asked why she keeps seeking wild cards for singles events, Williams made clear that the losses themselves are not a concern. “I feel great. If there’s the one thing I know, it’s that you’re never too young or too old to win or to lose. Winning and losing knows no age,” she said.

She added: “The only way to go forward is growth. There’s always so much to learn, and there’s always still much to learn about myself, new hurdles to get over.

“I think that sport just keeps you honest, keeps you humble, because every single day is a new battle. I think it keeps you hungry, too, so all of that.

“Of course losing isn’t fun, but it’s great to play in front of a home crowd. They were behind me the whole way, and that was really fun for that.”

Williams is due to play with her sister Serena at the upcoming US Open, a meeting many tennis fans will want to see. Even so, her continuing singles appearances are prompting more questions about whether a young player might be denied the chance to compete and develop at this level. American Sandy Collins holds the record for 17 straight WTA Tour losses, matched by Arantxa Rus, and Williams is now uncomfortably close to joining that company.