An epic match ended with an epic celebration by Novak Djokovic at the Cincinnati Western and Southern Open.
Djokovic defeated world number one Carlos Alcaraz 5-7 7-6(7) 7-6(4) in a thrilling battle in the final on Sunday, which prompted an ecstatic Djokovic to rip open his shirt in celebration.
The three-hour and 49-minute battle ended as Djokovic was able to overcome match point as he captured his 95th career title and 39th Masters 1000 crown.
After he won, Djokovic dropped his racket and fell to the ground as the moment sunk in.
Djokovic and Alcaraz met in the middle of the court and then Djokovic, in a now-viral moment tore his shirt open.
“Crazy. Honestly, I don’t know what else I can say. Tough to describe,” Djokovic said on the court after the match. “Definitely one of the toughest matches I’ve played in my life, regardless what tournament, category, level, or what player. It’s unbelievable.”
The win was Djokovic’s third in Cincinnati and helped him get a bit of revenge on Alcaraz, who defeated him in the final at Wimbledon last month.
Alcaraz had looked as though he might have an easy path to victory on Sunday when he grabbed a 4-2 edge during the second set.
But the tide quickly shifted after he made four unforced errors during his service game ahead 4-3.
Djokovic managed to save a championship point during a second-set tiebreak and forced a deciding set after winning a 25-shot rally.
The dramatics continued into the deciding set as Djokovic could take advantage of a 5-3 lead and squandered a pair of match points away.
Alcaraz saved a pair of match points himself to make it 5-5 and the two once again arrived at another tiebreak.
Djokovic ultimately won it when Alcaraz’s forehand return went wild.
The Cincinnati Open was the first tournament that Djokovic played in the United States since the 2021 US Open.
He had been barred from entering the country due to his COVID vaccination status.
Sunday’s final surely has tennis fans hoping for a rematch in Queens when the US Open begins later this month.
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