Novak Djokovic defeated
Carlos Alcaraz in an extraordinarily close match at the
Cincinnati Open.
The Spaniard took the first set 7-5, but Djokovic won the tiebreak to take the second set 7-6(7). The two players continued to fight hard throughout the final set, meaning the victor was not decided until an exciting final tie-break that the Serb won 7-4, emerging victorious from the match 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
Alcaraz burst into tears after the defeat, letting out the tension after the toughest match of his career to date. Afterward he said he was very happy with his performance, something also demonstrated by his good relationship with Nole at the awards ceremony.
"I feel proud of myself, the truth. I was talking and I don't know why I was crying because I fought until the last ball. I almost beat one of the all-time greats of our sport," Alcaraz said at the post-final press conference, "It's crazy to talk about it right now, but I left the court very, very happy [with] what I did."
Alcaraz recognizes challenge of facing Djokovic
Playing against 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who also now has 39 Masters 1000 titles to his name, is never an easy feat, as the world No. 1 acknowledged after the incredible duel.
"Today it was very, very difficult to play against Novak. He was always putting almost five, six, seven balls [in the court] on every point. So fighting and running from one corner to another every point is really hard to handle almost the whole match," Alcaraz commented, "I tried to stay there, to stay good physically, but it was difficult.
"Like I said, I left everything on the court. For me obviously it's great that he knows that every time he goes to play against me, it reminds him of playing against Rafa or against the best because that means we're on a good path," he acknowledged, seemingly proud of the comparison Nole made between the 20-year-old and his compatriot Rafael Nadal.
"For me it's great to hear things from Novak, who has played iconic matches, historic matches. He said that some matches against me were some of the toughest matches he's played, it's great. That means my team and I are doing a great job, we are on a good path. [Because of] matches like this, we know we still have to work the same way we are doing," he finished.
