Novak Djokovic struggled greatly against Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final, but he pulled out the victory.
It was a spectacular match in many ways, mostly because it had it all. We had numerous incredible rallies, we had two comebacks by different players, and a very exciting finish. For Djokovic, the victory was a major one because it proved to him that he could beat Alcaraz on a hard court, as it was the first time they played.
The final will certainly be in the mind of both should we see them play at the US Open, and could play a factor. When it comes to the match itself, it was a tough one for Djokovic, who couldn't even explain how he turned it around when he talked to Tennis Channel.
I don't know man. So much to talk and not much energy left in the tank. It's been a rollercoaster, right for the both of us. I think I started off well. Really hot conditions during the day. We played for almost four hours and I think each hour the conditions were changing
Djokovic found better solutions as the match went on, admitting that the conditions were easier, which allowed him to play easier. As a Spaniard, Alcaraz is used to heat, and as a younger player, he certainly handled it a bit better, which got him the advantage early.
It was becoming easier to play on the court because you didn't have the sun and the heat. I was really struggling, I felt like I had a heatstroke or something
I played one solid game and thought maybe I had a chance. I believed and saved match points. This was one of the toughest matches I was ever part of, no doubt.
The final was an excellent introduction for the US Open, where we may see the big showdown. Let's hope it's as great as this one was.
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