In a heart-pounding thriller on Sunday, Novak Djokovic battled through stifling heat and a match point to secure victory against world number one Carlos Alcaraz, triumphing 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) at the Cincinnati Open. Djokovic, who had fallen to the young Spaniard in last month’s Wimbledon final, celebrated his win by collapsing on his back and ripping his shirt open, visibly drained from the nearly four-hour marathon.

“So much to say and so little energy,” Djokovic exclaimed as he collected his third Cincinnati Open title. “It has been a roller coaster and definitely one of the toughest and most exciting matches that I’ve ever been a part of in any tournament. It did feel like a Grand Slam final, even more than that, to be honest.”

The intense humidity in the late stages of the first set had hobbled Djokovic, who seemed unable to move as Alcaraz clinched the opener with a backhand winner. Follow the best tennis game ever with attractive betting odds from Nextbet. 

Alcaraz continued his surge by taking a 4-2 lead in the second set, making it appear as though he would cruise to victory while Djokovic, at 36, seemed worn out under the Ohio sun. However, a poor service game from Alcaraz, filled with four unforced errors at 4-3, breathed new life into Djokovic’s challenge.

In the second-set tiebreak, Djokovic fought off a championship point and forced a deciding set after a grueling 25-shot rally. During the break before the third set, a frustrated Alcaraz took out his anger on a plastic drinks container, necessitating a medical timeout to tape his finger.

In the decider, Djokovic managed to break for a 5-3 lead, only to squander two match points in the following game. The drama reached its peak when Djokovic missed an overhead at 5-5, setting the stage for another tiebreak, which Djokovic won on his fifth match point of the contest.

“It is going to be tough for me to talk right now, but I tried to do my best,” Alcaraz admitted. “I want to congratulate Novak once again. It’s amazing to play against you, share the court with you, learn from you. This match was really close, but I learned a lot.”

This victory marked Djokovic’s 95th career title and his 39th Masters 1000 crown. The Cincinnati Open held special significance for Djokovic, as it was his first tournament on U.S. soil in two years, having previously been barred from entering the country due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. Get the latest updates from the world of tennis only on Nextbet Sports. 

With his sights set on the upcoming U.S. Open, which runs from August 28 to September 10, Djokovic aims to add a 24th Grand Slam trophy to his illustrious collection. Reflecting on his rivalry with Alcaraz, he said, “Every one of our matches goes the distance… Hopefully, we can play in some weeks’ time in New York. That would be nice for the crowd, I don’t know about me.”