By Richard Pagliaro| @Tennis_Now | Sunday, August 20, 2023
It was inspired. It was insane. It was intoxicating.
Novak Djokovic's pulsating 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) triumph over Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati final spanned three hours, 49 minutes and will go down as a match for the ages.
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The 36-year-old Serbian superstar saved a championship point at 5-6 in the tiebreaker then showed champion's heart and grit converting his fifth championship point in capturing his record-extending 39th Masters 1000 championship and 95th career crown.
An ecstatic and exhausted Djokovic celebrated tearing his shirt to shreds.
Afterward, Djokovic summed up a classic clash with the ultimate compliment: It felt like a Grand Slam final.
"One of the toughest and most exciting matches I was ever part of at any tournament, definitely," Djokovic said during the trophy presentation afterward. "It did feel like a Grand Slam final, to be honest, even more than that.
"Every match we play against each other goes the distance so I hope we can play against each other in some weeks time. It will be nice for the crowd not for me."
This rematch of the Wimbledon final exceeded the blockbuster hype.
Two of the quickest players the sport has seen pushed each other all over the court collaborating on dizzying rallies that featured winners off of would-be winners.
"I mean, coming out in important moments, going for it, brave. You just have to put your hats down to a guy like that, that plays so maturely, handles the pressure so well for a 20-year-old," Djokovic said. "We cannot forget how young he is. That's something that is so impressive about him. Yeah, I mean, each point...
"The feeling that I have on the court reminds me a little bit when I was facing Nadal when we were at our prime of our careers. Each point is a hustle. Each point is a battle. You feel like you're not going to get maybe in total five free points in the entire match. You've got to basically earn every single point, every single shot, regardless of the conditions."
Giving up 16 years in age to world No. 1 Alcaraz, Djokovic looked down and out down a set and 2-4, but summoned his warrior spirit to come back.
Seeing Alcaraz skid into a sliding backhand passing shot down the line drew applause from Djokovic and praise after the match.
"What you've managed to do the last two three years is unbelievable," Djokovic told Alcaraz. "Boy, you never give up man. Jesus Christ I mean I love that about you, but sometimes I wish you maybe a few points like this."
"Spanish never die," a smiling Alcaraz replied.
"Okay, good I've heard that before or I've experienced this before," Djokovic replied.
Hopefully this exhilarating rivalry will resume at the US Open later this month.
Photo credit: Matthew Stockman/Getty