by Randy Walker
Saying “This was one of the exciting matches I’ve ever played in any tournament,” Novak Djokovic saved a match point and beat Carlos Alcaraz 5-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in the final of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Tennis experts and keen observers were quick to laud this match as one of the greatest ever for a non-Grand Slam tournament match. Djokovic himself said “It felt like Grand Slam.”
Brad Gilbert, a new addition to Coco Gauff coaching team, tweeted that Djokovic vs. Alcaraz “is must see TV. Amazing watching them fly around the court, crazy 3 hrs 40 in that blazing heat, like 2 boxers in the final round throwing haymakers.”
“Best 2 of 3 set match I’ve ever seen. Period” tweeted Steve Weissman on Tennis Channel
Patrick McEnroe tweeted, “Best non major final ever?? It’s in the running”
“It’s the best three-set match I can remember,” said tennis podcaster David Beilinson.
“NOVAK-ING WAY!! ND keeps defying the odds, again and again and again and again and again and again and again….” Tweeted noted tennis commentator Robbie Koenig.
The match was probably the most anticipated final ever in Cincinnati, considering the “newness” of the Djokovic vs. Alcaraz rivalry and that it was their first meeting since their epic Wimbledon final. Besides the shot-making and tightness of the match, what made this match even more incredible is that Djokovic seemed as if he would not be able to finish the match after the first set, where he seemed weary and affected by the heat and humidity, playing his first day match at the event and in his first tournament since Wimbledon. He could have just packed it up and started to get ready for the U.S. Open. As Joe Posnanski wrote in his substack.com, “There was every reason on Sunday for Novak Djokovic to yield in Cincinnati. This wasn’t a grand slam final. This wasn’t a grand slam at all. This was an important tournament, to be sure, a Masters 1000, the next level down from the slams. But what are Masters 1000s to Novak Djokovic at this stage of his career? He had won THIRTY-EIGHT of them.”
But the inner champion within Djokovic would not relent as the sun began to set, like a vampire, Djokovic gained strength and persisted and won one of the most memorable matches in recent tennis history.
“Just overall one of the toughest and most exciting matches I was ever part of,” Djokovic said. “These are the kind of moments and matches that I continue to work for day in and day out. I was never in doubt I could deliver the A game when it matters most. Just thrilled”
The win for the 36-year-old Djokovic over the 20-year-old Alcaraz made him the oldest winner in Cincinnati history. Ken Rosewall was 35 years old when he won in 1970. At 3 hours, 49 minutes, the match was the longest best-of-three set final in ATP tour history (since 1990).
Wrote former New York Times tennis writer Chris Clarey on his substack, “Their rivalry might be new but it is already appointment viewing, already one of the best things in sports. It is strength against strength, elasticity against elasticity but also autumn versus spring. Djokovic is 36 and has been winning guts-and-glory matches like Sunday’s in Cincinnati for more than a decade. Alcaraz turned 20 in May and has just begun to fight.
“You never give up, do you?” Djokovic said to Alcaraz on the court following the match. “I love that about you. I hope we meet in New York. That would be fun — well, for the fans, not for me.”
The win was Djokovic’s 95th career title, moving his out of a tie with Ivan Lendl for third place all-time. Djokovic holds the all-time record men’s major singles titles with 23.
“The feeling that I have on the court reminds me a little bit when I was facing (Rafael) Nadal when we were at our prime,” said Djokovic. “Each point is a hustle. Each point is a battle. You’ve got to basically earn every single point, every single shot, regardless of the conditions.”
Djokovic said that his match with Alcaraz was similar to his 2012 Australian Open final, when he defeated Nadal in 5 hours and 53 minutes and was featured as one of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” in the book by that name by tennis historian Steve Flink, which is for sale and download here: https://a.co/d/5NJfiKk
“I don’t think I’ve played too many matches like this in my life,” Djokovic said to assembled media. “You just have to put your hats down to a guy like that. He plays so maturely, handles the pressure so well for a 20-year-old. We cannot forget how young he is. That’s something that is so impressive about him.”