Novak Djokovic defeated 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4) to win the Cincinnati Open on Sunday.
Djokovic, who is ranked No. 1 in the world, was playing his first tournament since winning Wimbledon in July. He had not played since withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati last week due to a shoulder injury.
But Djokovic was in top form on Sunday, breaking Alcaraz’s serve four times and never facing a break point himself. The win gives Djokovic his 38th ATP Masters 1000 title, moving him one behind Rafael Nadal for the most in history.
“It was a great match,” Djokovic said. “Carlos is a great player. He’s very talented and he’s going to be a top player for many years to come.”
Alcaraz, who is ranked No. 16 in the world, was making his debut in the Cincinnati final. He had never beaten a top-10 player before Sunday.
“It was a great experience,” Alcaraz said. “I learned a lot from this match. I’m going to keep working hard and I hope to be back here one day.”
Djokovic will now head to the US Open, which begins on August 29. He is the defending champion at Flushing Meadows.
Analysis
Djokovic’s win over Alcaraz was a dominant performance from the world No. 1. He was in control of the match from start to finish, and he never let Alcaraz get into it.
Djokovic’s serve was particularly effective, as he won 80% of his first-serve points and broke Alcaraz’s serve four times.
Alcaraz showed flashes of his potential, but he was ultimately no match for Djokovic. The 18-year-old Spaniard will need to learn from this experience and continue to improve if he wants to challenge Djokovic and the other top players in the world.
Impact
Djokovic’s win in Cincinnati is a major boost to his confidence ahead of the US Open. He has now won three consecutive tournaments, and he is playing some of the best tennis of his career.
Djokovic will be the favorite to win the US Open, but he will face stiff competition from Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. The US Open is shaping up to be one of the most exciting Grand Slam tournaments in recent years.