August 21, (THEWILL) – Novak Djokovic displayed his trademark resilience on Sunday, overcoming searing heat and a fierce challenge from Carlos Alcaraz to win the Cincinnati Open men’s singles title.
The thrilling 5-7 7-6(7) 7-6(4) victory took nearly four hours to complete and gave Djokovic his third Cincinnati crown. The 35-year-old Serb collapsed onto his back in relief and ripped his shirt in celebration after Alcaraz’s final forehand swing wide on match point.
Earlier in the match, Djokovic had appeared hampered by the intense humidity during the late stages of the opening set, which he surrendered 7-5. Alcaraz grabbed a 4-2 lead in the second set and seemed poised to close out the match. But an error-strewn service game from the Spaniard gave Djokovic a lifeline. The serial major champion saved a championship point in the tiebreak before levelling the match.
The third set required yet another tiebreaker to decide the titanic struggle. Djokovic finally broke Alcaraz’s serve at 4-3 and had two chances to serve out the championship. But the 19-year-old showed resilience of his own by erasing four match points to draw level at 5-5. In the end, Djokovic’s experience paid off in the decisive tiebreak.
The draining victory demonstrated why Djokovic remains one of tennis’ preeminent big-match competitors. It was his 95th career title and 39th ATP Masters 1000 championship. For Alcaraz, the loss provided valuable experience at the highest level of the men’s game.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
