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In an exhilarating rematch of their Wimbledon final, Novak Djokovic clinched victory against Carlos Alcaraz with a 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) scoreline, securing the title at the Western & Southern Open.
Clocking in at an astounding 3 hours and 49 minutes, this clash became the longest best-of-three set-final in the ATP Tour's recorded history since 1990. The second-seeded Djokovic, with this win, rectified his defeat against the world No. 1 Alcaraz the previous month. This marked his 95th career title, allowing him to overtake Ivan Lendl to claim a third place among men in the professional era, which commenced in 1968.
Meanwhile, in the women's final, Coco Gauff, seeded seventh, carved out history by becoming the first teenager in over half a century to claim the Western & Southern Open, triumphing 6-3, 6-4 against Karolina Muchova.
Taking to the American court for the first time in two years due to pandemic constraints, Djokovic displayed resilience. He secured his third Cincinnati title within a span of six years, finalising his win on the fifth match point, thanks to an errant forehand return from Alcaraz.
In a post-match spectacle, the 36-year-old Serbian, overwhelmed with emotions, laid flat on the court, before marching over to acknowledge Alcaraz at the net. His euphoria was evident as he proceeded to rip his shirt open.
Reflecting on the duel, Djokovic, holder of a record 23 men's Grand Slam titles, remarked during the trophy ceremony, “This ranks among the most exhilarating matches I've participated in across all tournaments. The atmosphere was akin to a Grand Slam." Battling nearly 90-degree heat, Djokovic set a record, becoming the senior-most player to win the championship since Ken Rosewall in 1970 at 35.
Their thrilling contest surpassed the previous Cincinnati record set in 2010 during a match between Roger Federer and Mardy Fish. In the current season, no other three-set men's duel has stretched longer.
An exhausted but jubilant Djokovic, whilst holding his trophy, playfully teased Alcaraz, “You're rather relentless, aren't you? Meeting in New York would be an exciting prospect – undoubtedly for the spectators, perhaps less so for me.” Djokovic was referencing the forthcoming U.S. Open that starts on 28th August, where Alcaraz enters as the reigning champion and is set to maintain his top seed position.
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