2023-08-21 01:44:00
It is to believe that they only know how to do in the epic. Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic fought a fight of exceptional intensity on Sunday evening in the final of the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati, the second ending up winning on his 5th match point. In a game with multiple twists, he ended up beating the Murcian prodigy in three sets (5-7, 7-6, 7-6) and almost four hours of play (3:49 precisely). Meanwhile, the Serb himself had dismissed a match point at the end of the second act. This 4th title this season, the 95th of his career and the 39th in Masters 1000 (improved record) allows him to return to 20 small points behind the Spaniard in the ATP ranking.
As in his legendary triumph at the Australian Open eleven years ago once morest Rafael Nadal, he ended up tearing his polo shirt with rage and satisfaction. Novak Djokovic went to his limits to get the better of Carlos Alcaraz who himself ended in tears in his chair. As much disappointment as surely because the nerves let go following having passed the test of fire. Because if Cincinnati was only a Masters 1000, this reunion had a dramatic intensity worthy of their final at Wimbledon a month earlier. The revenge for the Serb is therefore all the more beautiful.
From experience, Djokovic managed his slack well
Especially since there are several matches in one this Sunday in Ohio. If Djokovic had made the best start by breaking the first, Alcaraz replied in stride and gradually took the upper hand with his strike force in the exchange. While all week, his feelings had not been the best, he was able to raise his level by two or even three notches to be up to the opposition that was offered to him. It is the strength of the greats and the Spaniard has once once more shown that he is one. So much so that he ended up with a set and a break lead (7-5, 3-1).
The big boost: Djokovic gets his blood pressure caught
Mentally marked by the turn of events, Djokovic also seemed to suffer the blow physically. So much so that following offering his service in a game with three consecutive double faults at the start of the second act, he requested a medical time-out during which his blood pressure was taken. The carrots seemed cooked, but it was very bad to know the animal. With experience, he took his rival into a false rhythm and caught up (7-5, 4-4). Then, totally reinvigorated, he ended up snatching an unbreathable tie-break 9 points to 7, having saved a title ball from a good forehand shift at 6-5 once morest him.
Alcaraz, a heroic resistance
Back from the dead, Djokovic regained the mental and… physical ascendancy in the third set. And by dint of putting pressure on the relaunch, he made the break at 3-3 to take an option on the title in turn. The quality of the debates was remarkable, but we hadn’t seen anything yet. At 5-3, visibly blunted, Alcaraz however saved two match points on his serve, the second of which was a forehand passing at the end of the astonishing race. Then at 5-4, following a huge game of more than ten minutes, the Murcian went for an epic break, saving two new match points, the last of which on a long supersonic forehand.
Audacity, more audacity, always audacity. And Alcaraz, in survival mode but still lucid to seek his destiny at the net, saved four more break points in the next game to regain the score. Still back from an initial mini-break in the decisive tie-break thanks to a stunning return-volley, the Murcian with multiple lives nevertheless ended up giving in. Because opposite, a cold-blooded monster with diabolical precision on the relaunch, a wall facing repeated attacks from Alcaraz, ended up exhausting him. Cincinnati might not announce the US Open better. We wriggle in advance.
It wasn’t enough but it was big: the extraordinary match point saved by Alcaraz
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