Two tie breaks, five match balls and almost four hours needed Novak Djokovic yesterday to overcome Carlos Alcaraz who stands as the heir to the Cincinnati Masters 1,000 (5-7, 7-67 and 7-64) yesterday. throne of the Big Three, as the Serbian himself revealed in his first words on the track after his victory. In fact, the Murcian will continue to be number 1 in the world for another week despite his defeat and sign a revealing 2-2 face-to-face with the tennis player who has dominated the circuit in recent years.
"It's hard to describe. It's been one of the most difficult matches of my life, no matter the level, the tournament or the player. It's been incredible from start to finish. These are the matches and the moments I keep working for every day. Anyone who sees Carlos sees that this rivalry is improving. He is an incredible player, I respect him a lot. It is impressive that someone so young plays like this in important moments", declared Djokovic.
It was not Alcaraz's best game, everything must be said, since he did not feel comfortable on the court at many moments of the game and he only showed his best level when he had no choice but to come back. And that things did not start badly for his interests, since after a first exchange of breaks, Alcaraz got the good one, the 6-5, to win the first set on his serve while Juan Carlos Ferrero insisted from his box that he was doing “very well”.
That Djokovic did not see clearly what was happening was seen when he went to the bathroom after finishing the set and, above all, when Alcaraz broke his serve at the first exchange in the second set. The Serbian required medical attention, apparently due to the heat, but he continued on the track. "It's time," said Ferrero. But it was not, since Djokovic clung to the game to return the break to his rival and equalize at 4-4 and take the set to a disputed tie break that he ended up winning.
The last set began to be played from power to power, until Djokovic again got the break for 3-4 on the sixth break ball he had in that game. So Carlitos had no choice but to resort to the epic. And in what way: raising no more and no less than four match balls to make his counterbreak when Djokovic was already caressing the title. "I know it costs, but it goes up", was Ferrero's doctrine, which Alcaraz followed by heart.
The game was decided in a new sudden death in which the Serbian shot ex officio and the number 1 lost his nerve again. The future – and even the present – is yours.
