Djokovic won 5-7, 7-6(4) and 7-6(4) against Alcaraz in the longest match in the history of the tournament
The Spaniard had a match point and managed to overcome four from his rival
Novak Djokovic left without a prize this Sunday to a Carlos Alcaraz monumental, which annulled four match ballsand forgave one in favor, in a duel in which he only surrendered in the tiebreaker of the third set (5-7, 7-6(7) and 7-6(4)) after 3 hours and 49 minutes of the match longest in the history of Cincinnati Masters 1,000.
The Serb got his hands on his third title in Cincinnati, where he had lost five of his seven finals, and he took revenge after the defeat suffered in the Wimbledon finalwhen Alcaraz won the second ‘big’ of his career.
The way the Serb dropped to the ground to celebrate the victory point explains the level of intensity reached in this final.
Three hours and 49 minutes of magnificent tennis level between a legend and a talent with an already bright present and a golden future ahead. There was more than fifteen years difference between Nole and Carlitos, but equality reigned on the field in a battle for the history of this sport.
Because Djokovic ended up winning in the third set, but Alcaraz could win in the second, when he failed to take advantage of a match point with 6-5 in the tiebreaker.
Alcaraz, one step away from glory
The Murcian, who He was looking to be the third Spanish champion in Cincinnati after Carlos Moyá (2002) and Rafa Nadal (2013)lost the first final of his career in a Masters 1,000 after being crowned in Miami and Madrid 2022 and in Indian Wells and Madrid this year.
-Djokovic: “Man, you never give up. I love it, but sometimes you could play shorter points”
-Alcaraz: “The Spanish never die”
-Djokovic: “This sounds familiar to me from having experienced it already…” pic.twitter.com/r49myPFgyU— Tennis at Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarTenis) August 21, 2023
He received heartfelt congratulations from an exhausted Djokovic at the end of the match and, despite admitting that it was hard for him to hold back his tears, Alcaraz said goodbye to the head office with a smile and aware that he left every last drop of sweat on the court.
Nole and Carlitos were protagonists of a new spectacular battle. If possible, andIt has a tennis quality even higher than that of Wimbledon. They both looked stellar.
And if at Wimbledon Alcaraz had a traumatic start, with a 1-6 in just 34 minutes, on the Cincinnati cement Carlitos started with conviction. He hit two service winners to open his turn and tutored Djokovic on every point.
The Serbian took advantage of the Murcian’s only moment of indecision to put a break up, but Alcaraz changed the script, recovered it immediately and managed another at 5-5 to take the first set pot 7-5 after an hour of battle.
It was match point for Djokovic. And that’s how Alcaraz played it pic.twitter.com/SbEAFM5SP9
— VarskySports (@VarskySports) August 21, 2023
Match point for Alcaraz in the second set
As he usually does, Djokovic returned to the locker room. Alcaraz stayed on his bench maintaining concentration and waited, standing in his field, for the return of the Serb.
Djokovic’s reaction lasted a game, forceful with the serve, but on his second turn he committed three double faults and offered two breaking balls to Alcaraz. The world number one converted the second and gave the game a blow. His rival requested medical assistance, although only for a few seconds.
It wasn’t anything serious and the Serbian returned to the track stepping on the accelerator. With great tennis he earned a first breaking ball, without being able to take advantage of it, but at 2-4, he got a ‘break’ to balance the match again. Alcaraz continued to address him on a first-name basis and forced the tiebreaker, in which he reached his match point at 6-5.
Djokovic, with his service, annulled it and managed to force the third set (9-7). New match and, once again, after two hours and 18 minutes of contention, third set for Alcaraz.
A boxing match in the third
The level increased as the tension grew. Like two boxers, Djokovic and Alcaraz exchanged tremendous blows. He broke the Serb at 3-3 and ran away 5-3. The Murcian, apparently touched, found the forces in the tank to give yourself another chance. He annulled two match balls at 3-5 and another two at 4-5, with Djokovic serving.
His right through to annul match point at 3-5 brought the spectators to their feet. The ‘drive’ that connected to annul the fourth also left the public speechless.
He chained three games in a row and Djokovic sent the match to the tiebreaker. Alcaraz came back from 0-3 and went to sit down with 3-3 on the scoreboard after a volley of pure class.
It was only at that moment when Djokovic gave the blow to the match. Based on serves, he was up 6-4 and, on the fifth match point, he achieved an epic victory.
After throwing himself to the ground, he got up and gave his racket to a fan. Alcaraz was left without a trophy, but his first match on a hard surface against Djokovic also left hissignals for his optimism in the face of defending the title in the US Open.