Was the Wimbledon final the passing of the torch from Novak Djokovic to Carlos Alcaraz? The Western & Southern Open championship match will be an opportunity for Djokovic to prove it was not.

All week, fans have waited for the potential of a blockbuster showdown between Alcaraz and Djokovic, the clear top two players in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. That is exactly what they will get Sunday in Cincinnati.

“It’s great. It’s amazing for the sport, No. 1 and No. 2 in the world facing each other again in the final of a big event,” Djokovic said after defeating two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals. “This is I guess what everybody wanted and expected in the beginning of the tournament, so here we are.”

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No matter who wins, Alcaraz will depart the Lindner Family Tennis Centre as World No. 1, having secured his standing by reaching the final. But another triumph over the 38-time ATP Masters 1000 champion will send a clear message — he is the standalone favourite heading into the US Open.

The last time the two tennis titans stood across the net from one another, just more than a month ago, Djokovic was as confident as ever. The 36-year-old was eight wins from becoming the first man to complete the Grand Slam — winning all four majors in the same season — since Rod Laver in 1969. Up a set and with a set point in the second-set tie-break, the Serbian seemed well on his way.

Djokovic is a man who thrives on chasing history. But that day, Alcaraz refused to serve as a stepping stone to the record books. Instead of capturing a 24th major trophy and further cementing his legacy, Djokovic suffered a setback that has been rare for him over the past decade. On 16 July, he met his match.

Just weeks earlier, Alcaraz was so tense during his Roland Garros semi-final against the Serbian, he suffered from cramp and stood no realistic chance of posing a threat because he was physically compromised.

But Djokovic, who never blinks, blinked. Having won 15 consecutive tie-breaks at majors, he lost one in the second set. That proved the only opening Alcaraz needed. Already a major champion at the 2022 US Open, the Spaniard knew what it took to win at the highest level. But defeating Djokovic in a Slam final is an even greater challenge, and he rose to the occasion, winning a captivating five-setter.

Alcaraz’s game is no replica of Djokovic’s. But that day, the World No. 1 showed he is developing similar traits. The 23-time major winner has spoken about the mental edge he owns over most opponents because of what he has achieved.

But the same way Djokovic had no fear of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal when he was on the rise, Alcaraz did not shy away from the challenge of going blow for blow with the seven-time Wimbledon champion. It did not matter that it was just the fourth grass-court tournament of his career.

So often, the 94-time tour-level titlist has escaped inescapable positions in matches by finding a way to win the biggest points, giving himself a shot to find his best tennis later in the match. Alcaraz essentially Djokovic’d Djokovic that day on Centre Court and in doing so, pierced the Serbian’s aura of invincibility with a wide smile on his face.

“It’s not the first [nor] the last match that I lost, so I was over it in a day,” Djokovic said before beginning his run this week in Cincinnati.

But Djokovic surely has not forgotten and is eager to make a statement of his own in Ohio, where in 2018 he completed the Career Golden Masters. No other player has won all nine Masters 1000 tournaments, and the Serbian has already done so twice. By winning Sunday, he will own at least three titles at all events at that level except Monte-Carlo. This is only Alcaraz’s third appearance in Cincinnati.

The World No. 1 enters their showdown with a 2-1 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series, but this will be their first clash on a hard court. And although Djokovic is playing his first tournament since Wimbledon this week, he has been in better form than his younger opponent.

The two-time Western & Southern Open champion has not lost a set en route to the final. Djokovic has had his game face on since his first practice at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre. His intensity has been clear. Outside of one funny moment with a fan during his second-round match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, he has been a man on a mission.

On the other side of the draw, Alcaraz has needed to win a deciding set in each of his four matches. After pulling his latest Houdini act Saturday against Hubert Hurkacz, against whom he saved a match point, the 20-year-old looked at his team, led by former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, and held his arms out as if to say, “Are you surprised?”

“I feel good. Probably the people can think that I’m going to be tired in the final. But I feel good,” Alcaraz said. “It doesn’t matter if I play in third sets, long matches. I’m recovering really, really well with my physio, with my team. I feel like I’m going to play the first match of the tournament. I feel great.”

Players have spoken about the relative speed of the court in Cincinnati, so it will be interesting to see if either superstar will be able to earn an advantage with a big serving day. At Wimbledon, neither player dominated with their delivery, with Alcaraz leading the way by winning 70 per cent of his first-serve points.

That day, Alcaraz hit 66 winners to Djokovic’s 32, so the Serbian will likely try to find a way to neutralise the Spaniard’s offence and perhaps take the initiative himself.

There is only one player who owns at least three victories over Djokovic and a winning record against him: former World No. 1 Andy Roddick (5-4), who retired when the Serbian was just a five-time major champion. Alcaraz can join Roddick on the exclusive list Sunday.

But Djokovic has won more than double the number of Masters 1000 tournaments (38) as Alcaraz has played (18). As much momentum as the 20-year-old earned by winning Wimbledon, this is Novak’s chance to strike back.

A Wimbledon final rematch is in the cards at the Western & Southern Open after Novak Djokovic defeated Alexander Zverev in the Cincinnati semi-finals on Saturday.

The 36-year-old overcame Zverev 7-6(5), 7-5 in a baseline slugfest under the lights at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where the 23-time major champion Djokovic will next clash against World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for a fourth time (1-2).

“In very few of [Sascha’s] service games where I had chances, I think I played well, particularly five-all [after] he broke my serve to stay in the match,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “I managed to bounce back, played a great game to break him again and seal the deal in the 12th game of the second set.

“I’m pleased. I think there’s a few things I could’ve done better, but overall it’s a straight-sets win against a great player in form, so I’m really happy.”

In Djokovic and Zverev’s first meeting since the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals, both players brought a high level throughout the semi-final. An entertaining opening set featured Zverev surviving a 10-minute service game at 4-5 and later forcing a tie-break, where second seed Djokovic found greater consistency from his groundstrokes, converting his sixth set point to gain an advantage.

After being broken while serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, the 94-time tour-level titlist quickly recovered to earn a break of his own, closing the two-hour, four-minute contest in his ensuing service game. Djokovic lost just two points behind his first delivery in the second set and struck the ball with depth to improve to 8-4 in his Lexus ATPHead2Head series with the two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion.

With his 1,068th career match win, Djokovic moves into equal third place with Rafael Nadal and Ivan Lendl for most career victories, trailing only Roger Federer (1,251) and Jimmy Connors (1,274).

Playing in his first tournament on U.S. soil since 2021, Djokovic has not dropped a set all week. He is bidding for his third title at the Western & Southern Open (2018, 2020) and a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 singles crown. If Djokovic wins his fourth title of 2023, he would become the oldest Cincinnati champion in the Open Era, surpassing Ken Rosewall (1970).

Djokovic first completed the Career Golden Masters in Cincinnati in 2018 and should he triumph Sunday he will have won all nine Masters 1000s three times, with the exception of Monte-Carlo, which he has won twice. No other player has won all nine Masters 1000s.

Sunday will be the Serbian’s record-extending 57th ATP Masters 1000 final. The Spaniard Alcaraz, who earlier rallied past Hubert Hurkacz, defeated Djokovic in a thrilling five-set Wimbledon final that lasted four hours, 43 minutes. Djokovic and Alcaraz are the only two players who have secured qualification for the season-finale Nitto ATP Finals, which the Belgrade native has won six times.

Although Djokovic cannot reclaim the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Ranking by winning the final, he can draw within a mere 20 points of Alcaraz. Given that the 20-year-old has 2,000 points to defend at the US Open, which Djokovic did not play last year, the Serbian would have a strong chance of reclaiming No. 1 after the Open if he can defeat Alcaraz in the Cincinnati title match.

Zverev, 26, suffered his first loss in Cincinnati since 2020, having won the event in 2021 and missing it last year due to injury. The World No. 17 slips to 38-20 this season. By reaching the semi-finals, Zverev has climbed two spots this week to eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, inside the cut for the Nitto ATP Finals.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz saved a match point Saturday to survive a thrilling contest against Hubert Hurkacz in the Western & Southern Open semi-finals.

The Spaniard found his best level in pressure moments to down Hurkacz 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 and reach his eighth final of the season. Alcaraz fended off a match point on serve at 4-5 in the second set and later won six consecutive points from 1/4 in the tie-break to force a decider.

Despite failing to convert any of his first ten break points, the 20-year-old stayed focussed, earning a pivotal break in the fourth game of the third set and later closing the match after two hours, 16 minutes.

“It was a mental semi-final, I had to stay there,” Alcaraz said in his on court-interview. “I had a lot of break points, it was really tough. Obviously saving a match point is never easy but with my coach, we were talking about staying positive all the time and to stay there. We knew I was going to have my chances and I tried to take it. Every match against Hubi is really, really tough but I’m really, really happy that I was able to win.”

With his 53rd match win of the season, Alcaraz secured the top spot in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings regardless of his result in the Cincinnati final, where he will meet World No. 2 Novak Djokovic or 16th seed Alexander Zverev.

Alcaraz struck the ball with conviction to earn his third Lexus ATPHead2Head win against Hurkacz, whom he also defeated last week in the Toronto third round. The two-time major champion, who has played six consecutive three-setters, played aggressive on return, often taking Hurkacz’s second serve on the rise to rush the 26-year-old.

“It’s been a really tough tournament, all matches [have gone] three sets,” Alcaraz said. “But I’m really happy to win these kind of matches and stay strong mentally, these matches are really good for me. I grow up a lot thanks to these matches.”

A 12-time tour-level titlist, Alcaraz is eyeing his third Masters 1000 crown of the season, having already won in Indian Wells and Madrid. Alcaraz is the youngest Cincinnati finalist since Pete Sampras in
1991. Should he remain unbeaten in Masters 1000 finals to capture his fifth title at that level, Alcaraz would become the youngest Cincinnati champion since Boris Becker in 1985.

Hurkacz, who upset World No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round, is up three spots to No. 17 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings. The Pole was competing in his fifth Masters 1000 semi-final.

Did You Know?
Alcaraz has spent 10 hours, 38 minutes on court across his four matches in Cincinnati.

Jamie Murray and Michael Venus moved to within one win of capturing their fourth tour-level title together this season on Saturday when they advanced to the Western & Southern Open final.

The British-Kiwi pair overcame Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-3, 6-4 to reach their first ATP Masters 1000 title match as a team. Murray and Venus were strong on serve in the crucial moments in Cincinnati, saving all six break points they faced to advance after 77 minutes.

With their victory, they have jumped two spots to 10th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Murray and Venus, who clinched trophies in Dallas, Banja Luka and Geneva earlier this year, can rise to seventh if they lift the title on Sunday.

Murray, 37, is aiming to triumph in Cincinnati for the second time, having won the crown with Bruno Soares in 2018. Venus, 35, is seeking his second Masters 1000 title. He lifted the trophy in Paris in 2021 with Tim Puetz.

Murray and Venus will face Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni in the final.

The Argentines saved two match points en route to a 7-6(6), 1-6, 15-13 victory against second seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.

Gonzalez and Molteni, who are sixth in the Live Doubles Teams Rankings, rallied from 4/7 in the Match Tie-break, saving match points at 9/10 and 11/12 before converting on their fourth opportunity to reach their fifth tour-level final of the season as a team after two hours and four minutes.

Earlier this year, Gonzalez and Molteni triumphed in Cordoba, Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona and Washington. Prior to Cincinnati, their best result together at a Masters 1000 event this year was a quarter-final showing in Miami.

Bradley Klahn’s career is a raw story of persevering in spite of obstacles to achieve a childhood dream.

Turning 33 on Sunday, the American retired from pro tennis this week at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Stanford, California. Klahn hangs up his racquets after soaking in every minute of his 11 years on Tour.

“It never felt like a job to me to have to go and hit tennis balls and try to improve,” Klahn told ATPTour.com. “I’ve been very lucky for 11 years to play professionally. Not many people get to take their childhood passion and turn it into a professional thing. I am fortunate that I can say I did it.”

An eight-time ATP Challenger Tour champion, Klahn climbed to a career-high No. 63 in 2014. Some of the lefty’s fond memories include playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2018 and the adrenaline rush he felt when a home crowd was chanting, ‘U-S-A!’ as he won a five-setter to secure his first major main-draw victory at the 2012 US Open.

A light-hearted moment that Klahn will never forget is the time he hitched a ride with an airport mechanic — following a cancelled flight in Binghamton, New York — to catch a flight in Scranton, Pennsylvania. With the clock ticking and Klahn heading to Florida for training after a quarter-final run at the Binghamton Challenger, it was an introduction to the whirlwind of pro tennis for the California native.

“11 years seems like a long time and it also seems like it went by in the blink of an eye. I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish,” Klahn said. “I’m incredibly fortunate and grateful that I’ve surrounded myself with family and friends who pushed me to get the most out of myself and they have been there every step of the way with me.”

Klahn turned professional in 2012, after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at Stanford University, where he won the 2010 NCAA singles title.

Things began to change for Klahn when he was a senior at Stanford. A recurring back injury forced him to have three surgeries throughout his career, the first coming in 2011.

Bradley Klahn is crowned champion at the 2019 Winnetka Challenger.” />
^{Bradley Klahn is crowned champion at the 2019 Winnetka Challenger.}

The end looked near for Klahn in 2020, when he retired from a match for the first and only time in his career at the Split Challenger. Klahn was physically unable to serve. The back injury resurfaced, requiring a third surgery and 20 months away from competition.

“It’s consumed me, unfortunately so much of my energy has been spent trying to figure out what the root cause is and trying different treatments, workout programs,” Klahn said. “At the end of the day, it’s still allowed me to do some pretty amazing things.

“Despite it all, I was able to reach the Top 100 multiple times and live some of these experiences that I could never have dreamed of when I was an 11 year old starting to play tennis and watching it on TV. So you have to count your blessings and understand that there are ups and downs, but it’s been an amazing career.”

Klahn’s retirement was a multi-year process of debating when the right time was to say goodbye. One thing was for sure, he did not want his career to end while lying on a hospital bed. When he returned to action in 2022, retirement seemed inevitable, but he felt relatively healthy to keep going.

It was only fitting that Klahn concluded his career Monday at the Stanford Challenger.

“I still get emotional thinking about it. That place is special to me,” Klahn said. “The feelings I get when I step foot on campus, no other place can recreate it, as much for me personally as tennis. Stanford shaped me in more ways than one. It’s the place where it really solidified in my mind that I want to play professional tennis and see how good I can get and leave it all out there.”

A special and emotional moment 🫶

Former World No. 63 Bradley Klahn reflects on a career that saw him step foot on Centre Court at Wimbledon, fight back from multiple injuries, and live out his childhood dream as a professional tennis player 👏#ATPChallenger • @usta pic.twitter.com/JMdzAxRShS

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) August 16, 2023

Klahn first began playing tennis at age 11 and it quickly took off. He recalled a ‘terrible’ first-tournament experience, catching his opponent’s serve mid-air because it was sailing long, before Klahn was told that is illegal, “I didn’t know the score or anything, it’s pretty funny to see how far I’ve come,” he said, while cracking a laugh.

Though tennis is deemed as an individual sport, the 32-year-old credits his army of people who have supported him since day one, most notably his parents, Dennis and Nancy, who would often wake up at 4:30 a.m. on weekends to take Klahn to tournaments.

“I had to make sacrifices, but a lot of other people had to make sacrifices because they believed in me and my dream,” Klahn said. “You realise how much your family sacrifices just for you and it feels a little selfish at times. But it means a lot to look over and know that they are there and now it’s nice to have an opportunity to give back to them and be that supportive figure for them that they were for me for so many years.”

While Klahn may not be competing on court anymore, he will not be far from the game. He is looking forward to more commentating opportunities for Tennis Channel. Klahn also wants to help young athletes understand the business side of professional sports. He wants to leave a lasting impression that is more than just wins and losses.

“I think that further than any on-court result, I want to be known as Bradley the person more so than Bradley the tennis player,” Klahn said. “Being a guy that people enjoyed having around and who was well respected.”

Bradley Klahn faces Kyle Edmund on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2018.” />
^{Bradley Klahn faces Kyle Edmund on Centre Court at Wimbledon in 2018. Credit: Michael Steele/Getty Images}

The North American hard-court swing continues this week at the Winston-Salem Open, where Borna Coric is the top seed at the ATP 250 event.

After consecutive ATP Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, the Tour moves to North Carolina ahead of the US Open. ATPTour.com looks at five storylines to watch over the coming week.

1) Coric Top Seed: Twelve months ago, Coric captured the biggest trophy of his career during the North American hard-court swing when he soared to his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. This year, the Croatian is still searching for his best form on hard, having suffered a first-round defeat in Toronto and a second-round exit in Cincinnati. Making his third appearance in Winston-Salem, the top seed will be eager for a deep run to build confidence ahead of the US Open.

2) Griekspoor Targets Third Title Of Year: Second seed Tallon Griekspoor has enjoyed a career-best season. The Dutchman, who will compete in North Carolina at a career-high No. 25 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, has won tour-level titles in Pune and ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Having advanced to the final in Washington earlier this month, the 27-year-old will be eager to put aside disappointing first-round exits in Toronto and Cincinnati and get back to winning ways in Winston-Salem.

3) Next Gen ATP Finals Alumni Compete: Several former Next Gen ATP Finals competitors will be in action in Winston-Salem. Last year’s Next Gen ATP Finals champion Brandon Nakashima will aim to snap a three-match losing streak when he faces Jason Kubler in the first round, while 2021 finalist Sebastian Korda is the third seed in North Carolina. On hard courts, the American Korda reached the final in Adelaide and the last eight at the Australian Open earlier this season.

Jiri Lehecka, who lost to Nakashima in Milan last November, is 28-8 on the season. The Czech fell in the opening round in Winston Salem in 2022 and is seeded sixth at this year’s event. British lefty Jack Draper makes his return to Tour after two months out with a shoulder injury. The 21-year-old, who reached the semi-finals in Milan in 2022, starts against Nuno Borges.

4) Thiem In Action: Dominic Thiem reached his first tour-level final since 2020 earlier this month, when he advanced to the title match on clay in Kitzbühel. The Austrian earned three three-set victories en route to the final and will hope to transfer his form onto hard in Winston-Salem, where he reached the second round last year. It will be the first time since March that the World No. 3 has competed on the surface.

5) Can Fils, Van Assche & Michelsen Boost Qualification Hopes? As the third quarter of the season continues, a set of #NextGenATP hopefuls will look to boost their Next Gen ATP Finals chances with deep runs. Frenchman Arthur Fils, who is fourth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Next Gen Race, came through qualifying in Cincinnati last week.

Countryman Luca Van Assche, currently sixth, is set to compete in his fourth tour-level hard-court event of the season. The 19-year-old reached the quarter-final on clay in Hamburg in July. American Alex Michelsen is eighth in the Live Race after he rose into qualification contention following a final run in Newport. The 18-year-old won an ATP Challenger Tour crown on hard in Chicago last month. All three are making their debuts in Winston-Salem.

Jack Draper returns to the ATP Tour this week at the Winston-Salem Open after spending two months sidelined by a shoulder injury. The British lefty sustained the injury in his opening match at Roland Garros in May, forcing him to miss the grass swing.

“At the French Open I hurt my shoulder. I thought it was quite insignificant at the time but when I came back preparing for the grass it turned out it was a bit of a tear that went into my tendon, so I had to take about a month and a half out,” Draper told ATPTour.com ahead of the ATP 250 event.

“A tear in my shoulder isn’t the best. It didn’t take too long, but still one month to two months out of the Tour, so I am trying to come back and stay injury free from now.”

Draper reached the semi-finals at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Winnipeg last week in his first tournament back. The 21-year-old is eager to increase his match load in the coming weeks, but stressed the importance of managing expectations.

“I think with these sorts of injuries, especially the tendons, you need to be careful with them,” said Draper, who also missed large periods of the 2021 season with injury. “It takes time and you have to rehab them properly. I wouldn’t say I am completely out of the woods, I have to keep on doing the right things for it and hopefully it will be ok and keep improving week by week.

“I didn’t serve for about a month and a half after I did it. I am sort of getting my rhythm back on my serve. Last week I played my first tournament back and hit quite a few double faults, so I am trying to get my confidence back in my body and my tennis. Hopefully this week in Winston-Salem I can do that.”

Draper is currently No. 123 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings but rose as high as No. 38 in January. The Briton enjoyed a breakthrough 2022 season, winning four Challenger Tour titles, advancing to the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Montreal and the semi-finals in Eastbourne. He also reached the last four at the 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals.

The 21-year-old lefty is hoping to use that experience to climb again.

“Last year I had a great year and brought that confidence into this year,” Draper said. “But now I have had so much time off the court, it is almost like I have a fresh start. I have got to build my momentum and confidence all over again and that is fine because this is sport. There are ups and downs, but I am trying to build up that confidence in practice and with my coach and hopefully week by week I can keep improving.”

Since Draper’s injury, the young stars on the ATP Tour have hit the headlines. The 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz clinched the Wimbledon title, while Jannik Sinner lifted his maiden Masters 1000 trophy in Toronto. Holger Rune advanced to the quarter-finals at majors in Paris and London, before jumping to a career-high No. 5 this week.
The Briton has followed their recent success and revealed it has provided him with further motivation.

“I think there are a lot of amazing young players doing well on Tour. They are really getting to new heights, achieving every week. It is really motivating to watch them and see them as a benchmark,” Draper said. “Hopefully I can be there soon if I put in right the work and do all the right things for my body and my tennis.”

While Draper may dream of future title runs, for now, his aims for 2023 are simple.

“It is about staying consistently on the court,” Draper said. “I have only played six to seven tournaments this year. It has been a real challenge just to get the fitness right and stay on the tennis court. My number one goal is to stay injury free as I know my tennis is good enough when I stay on court to do well.”

Draper, who is 10-7 on the season, highlighted by a fourth-round run in Indian Wells, will face Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the first round in Winston-Salem.