Novak Djokovic will try to become the first ATP player to hold win all nine Masters 1000 titles this week at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.
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The seven-time Grand Slam champion, who is third on the all-time Masters 1000 title list with 19, has reached the Cincinnati final on four occasions in the past, but never broken through.
“Four times I’ve lost in the finals and I haven’t really been close in those finals,” said Djokovic on Sunday in Cincinnati. “Playing four times in the finals is a great result. Hopefully I can go a step further this time.”
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have combined to win eight of the last nine titles in Cincinnati, but with Nadal out due to injury and Djokovic well-rested after an early loss in Toronto, this could be the year that the Serb achieves the lofty milestone.
Nadal and Federer have each won seven different Masters 1000 titles, while Andy Murray has won five.
Roger Federer will bid for a Masters 1000 milestone of his own in Cincinnati, as the 21-time Masters title winner needs only one victory at the Western and Southern Open to become the first player to win 300 Masters 1000 matches.
Federer is a five-time champion in Cincinnati. He has won this particular Masters event more than any other one.