Novak Djokovic received the Western and Southern Open for the third time in Cincinnati, beating Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in a thriller with tiebreaks deciding the final two units.
The high two gamers on this planet went face to face in a rematch of final month’s Wimbledon remaining however this time Djokovic emerged with a 5-7 7-6 (7) 7-6 (4) victory.
Djokovic, 36, mentioned on court docket the almost four-hour match was one of many hardest matches he has performed in.
He mentioned: “Crazy. Honestly, I don’t know what else I can say.
“Tough to describe, (it’s) definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve ever played in my life, regardless what tournament, what category, what level, what player.
“From the beginning until 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.”
Alcaraz, 20, got here from a break right down to win a tense first set, with one backhand winner within the seventh recreation incomes the applause of his opponent.
But Djokovic refused to go away, regardless of being down 4-2 within the second set and defending a championship level.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion got here again to take the set in an exciting tiebreak.
The final set went to the wire as Alcaraz got here again from 5-3 down, saving a number of championship factors to power the tiebreak.
But the relentless Djokovic dominated the tiebreak and sealed the victory on his fifth championship level of the match.
He fell to the ground after the ultimate level and ripped open his shirt as he celebrated successful his thirty ninth Masters title.
The event is a precursor to the US Open which begins on August 28, with Djokovic bidding for a twenty fourth Grand Slam title.