Djokovic vs Alcaraz in Cincinnati Masters Final
*Djokovic - Alcaraz: 3:30 am Monday 21/8, Hanoi time.
Djokovic got off to a slow start in the semi-final against Zverev, trailing 0-40 in the first game. The Serbian player then saved all break-points to keep the game. The more Nole hit the hand, taking advantage of Zverev's mistake in the tie-break to win the series 7-5.
In the second set, the 23 Grand Slam owner won the game to catch the ball at the beginning of the set and was always ahead of the opponent. Despite being leveled 5-5 by Zverev, Djokovic immediately won the futures game before closing the match with a score of 7-6, 7-5.
The Serbian player made Zverev receive his first loss in Cincinnati since 2020. Zverev won the championship in 2021 and did not attend last year because of an injury. This season, the German tennis player has lost up to 20 matches.
Nole has yet to lose a set at the tournament. If he wins Alcaraz in the final, the 36-year-old will be the oldest champion in Cincinnati history, counted in the Open Era.
Before that, Alcaraz had to save the match-point in the semi-final against Hubert Hurkacz. The number one player in the world lost the first set 2-6, then was led 4-5, 30-40 in the second set. After escaping in game 10, Alcaraz was again led 1-4 in the tie-break, before showing bravery by winning six points in a row to bring the match into the third set. There, the Spaniard won 6-3 to knock Hurkacz out for a second consecutive tournament, following last week's Rogers Cup.
All of Alcaraz's matches at this year's Cincinnati Masters are played in three sets. If you include the Rogers Cup, he has a six-match circuit that must enter the deciding set. With a first-time final in Cincinnati, Alcaraz will hold onto the top of the ATP table next week and be sure to be the number one seed at the US Open - Grand Slam kicks off August 28.
Djokovic and Alcaraz have met three times, on clay and grass. Most recently, Alcaraz defeated his senior in the 2023 Wimbledon final after five sets. The final in Cincinnati will be the first time the two strongest players in the world will face each other on hard courts. Both have lost just five games on the ATP Tour this season.
