CINCINNATI: Novak Djokovic needed five match points and nearly four hours to pull off a gritty victory over Carlos Alcaraz and claim a third ATP Cincinnati Open title on Sunday.
A titanic struggle between the world's top two players saw Djokovic — who looked out on his feet in the second set — save a match point before coming through on his own fifth match point for a 5-7, 7-6 , 7-6 triumph.'It's crazy, I don't know what I can say,' said 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic, who was seen by the doctors early in the second set for heat illness in a battle that lasted three hours and 44 minutes.'It's tough to describe.
The two — who have traded the number one ranking six times this year — are now level on two wins apiece in their head-to-head rivalry.Djokovic, who earned a record-extending 39th victory at the elite Masters 1000 level, secured the first break of the opening set, sending Alcaraz sprawling as broke to love for a 4-2 lead.A few minutes later, however, the Spaniard returned the favor.
Never in doubtDjokovic headed off to the locker room for another clothing change while Alcaraz pounded his right hand on his bench in frustration as he sat down.The Spaniard — who then needed to have a finger taped up — was broken in a nine-minute seventh game that featured five break points.
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