Novak Djokovic Beats Carlos Alcaraz in Three sets classic to lift Cincinnati crown

Novak Djokovic won one of the best matches in recent memory on Sunday when he saved one championship point en route to a 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) victory against Carlos Alcaraz for the Western & Southern Open title.

The 36-year-old rallied from a set and a break down against the World No. 1 and saved a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to earn a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title. Despite letting slip an opportunity to serve for the title at 5-4 in the third set, he bounced back to triumph after a gripping three hours and 49 minutes in which both men showed incredible shotmaking and mental fortitude. It was the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

“Crazy. Honestly, I don’t know what else I can say. Tough to describe. Definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played in my life, regardless what tournament, what category, what level, what player. It’s unbelievable,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “From the beginning ’til the end we’ve both been through so much, so many ups and downs, highs and lows, incredible points, poor games, heat strokes, coming back.

“Just overall, one of the toughest and most exciting matches I was ever part of and these are the kinds of moments and matches that I continue to work for day in day out. I was never in doubt that I can deliver the ‘A’ game when it mattered the most and [I am] just thrilled.”

World No. 1 Alcaraz seemed in full control leading by a set and a break, and was two holds from capturing his Tour-leading seventh trophy of the season. This was on the back of a memorable Wimbledon final in which Alcaraz upset Djokovic in five sets to end his opponent’s dreams of becoming the first man to win the Grand Slam — capturing all four majors in one season — since Rod Laver in 1969.