Unstoppable Djokovic triumphs magnificently in heart-stopping match, outshines Alcaraz to seize first Masters 1000 crow of the year at Cincinnati Open

Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open final by 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) and claimed his third Cincinnati Open title.

The most anticipated final between world No. 1 and world No. 2 took place in the main stadium of the Western & Southern Open. Alcaraz and Djokovic faced each other in another final following the young star's triumph at Wimbledon to secure his second Grand Slam.

With a H2H of 2-1 in favor of Alcaraz, with only one of those encounters being in a final, played at the All England Club, they had never before met on hardcourts.

The world No. 1 faced challenges throughout the week to advance in the rounds. All his matches went to three sets, and he entered the final with 10 hours and 40 minutes on court during the week, far from Djokovic's 4 hours and 59 minutes.

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Alcaraz defeated Thompson, Paul, Purcell, and Hurckacz to reach his eighth final of the season, with a previous record of 6 victories and only one loss.

'Nole' had a tough draw from the start, but he was vastly superior in each of his matches against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Gael Monfils, Taylor Fritz, and Alexander Zverev without dropping a set.

The early games of the match were quite tense, with both players defending their serves and avoiding taking too many risks. Djokovic struck first in the sixth game, taking a 4-2 lead, but Alcaraz immediately reacted to break back and keep the set level.

After the first break, both players displayed more aggression. Djokovic capitalized on net approaches to win several points, and longer rallies were played.

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Carlos firecracker 🧨 Djokovic stands and applauds this sizzling shot from the world No.1 @carlosalcaraz | @CincyTennis | #CincyTennis

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At 5-5, Alcaraz capitalized on his opponent's errors and secured a break that later helped him win the first set 7-5.

At the start of the second set, Djokovic appeared fatigued and overwhelmed by the heat. Already in the first set, he showed signs of fatigue, and after receiving an early break in the third game, 'Nole' requested a medical timeout and told the doctor he felt dizzy and had a headache due to the intense heat in the stadium.

Upon returning to the match, Djokovic was visibly affected physically but managed to immediately earn a break point in his favor, yet he couldn't capitalize on it. The Serbian attempted to shorten the points by taking more risks in his shots and approaching the net.

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Despite facing physical challenges, Djokovic exhibited resilience as he overcame difficulties to secure a break, clinching three consecutive games and establishing a 5-4 advantage against an inconsistent Alcaraz. The set culminated in an exhilarating tie-break, during which the world No. 2 rose above the challenges and didn't succumb to pressure, ultimately winning the set 7-6(7).

In the third set, after facing several break points in his favor, Djokovic achieved a crucial break in the seventh game. This break proved to be sufficient to overcome his opponent, effectively turning the match around and leveling the head-to-head record at 2-2.

Despite having two match points with his opponent's serve at 5-3, Alcaraz demonstrated resilience and exerted pressure on 'Nole' to close the match with his own serve.

A heart-stopping final game was witnessed as Djokovic saved three break points against him and committed a double fault on his first match point in the game

The 23-time Grand Slam champion remained composed and successfully secured the third set 7-6, solidifying his third Cincinnati Open title.

The next challenge for both players will be the US Open, which starts on August 30th, where they are the top two seeds and will be positioned at opposite ends of the draw.

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Novak Djokovic d. Carlos Alcaraz 5-7 7-6(7) 7-6 What on earth did we just watch. Match point saved. Longest best of 3 Masters final ever. At age 36, struggling with the conditions… clawing his way through a match like this only adds to his gleaming legacy ✅39th Masters

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