The Serbian defined the match as “one of the toughest on a mental, emotional and physical level” that he has played
“We are really looking forward to returning to the US Open,” said the Spaniard
The champion’s trophy Cincinnati Masters 1,000 ended up in the hands of the Serb Novak Djokovicbut it is difficult to define as “defeat” the match of Carlos Alcaraz. He annulled four match points against ‘Nole’ and kept him on court for three hours and 49 minutes before surrendering in the third set tiebreaker.
“There are defeats and defeats”, considered Alcaraz in conversation with EFE.
The Murcian was on the verge of tears at the end of his final, during his speech at the foot of the track. He had left every last drop of sweat and, after missing a lead break and match point in the second set, he had fallen.
A few minutes later, he was still smarting from seeing his first title in Cincinnati vanish, but Pride emerged for having pushed a legend like Djokovic to the limit once again.
And if Nole himself, a winner of 23 ‘grandes’, defines this game as “one of the toughest mentally, emotionally and physically” he has ever played In his career, the Murcian can look forward with maximum optimism.
“These kinds of defeats hurt, they hurt a lot, I’m not going to lie. But at the same time you are left with a positive feeling of saying that you have left everythingwhen you feel that you have left everything on the track, you cannot blame anything, you have to leave proud and happy with what you have done”, he added.
The one this Sunday was his first defeat in a Masters 1,000 finalafter the triumphs of Miami and Madrid 2022 and those of Indian Wells and Madrid this year.
In the last year and a half, Alcaraz has become the new phenomenon of world tennis. The new star called to promote this sport around the world after Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Djokovic delighted fans for more than 20 years.
Djokovic himself compared his matches with Alcaraz with those who disputed before Rafael Nadal “in the prime” of their careers.
The Murcian now has a new enormous challenge in the United States Open, where last year he surprised the world by being crowned champion and assault the first position in the world ranking.
“We are really looking forward to returning to the US Open, which is a tournament that has given me so much and where I achieved my dreams. I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the whole New York crowd,” he said.
Will arrive at Flushing Meadows sure of the first position in the world ranking and with six titles in his showcases in 2023, culminating in his victory in the Wimbledon final against Djokovic.