Carlos Alcaraz will meet Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2023 Cincinnati Masters. The match will be played on Sunday, August 20, 2023.
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz and second seed Novak Djokovic will clash in a blockbuster final at this year’s Cincinnati Masters – a redux of their epic final at Wimbledon just a month ago which was won by the young Spaniard. By virtue of reaching the championship match this week, Alcaraz will retain his No. 1 ranking for the US Open where he will be the tournament’s top seed. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing on his road to the final. Alcaraz has needed the full three sets in each match, overcoming his latest obstacle in the semifinal against Hubert Hurkacz, who put up a colossal serving performance, but proved insufficient as Alcaraz secured the one break he needed to eke out a 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 win.
Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, is playing his first tournament on US soil in precisely two years. He’s had a less rocky road to the final, winning all his matches in straight sets. That included a straights-set demolition of ninth seed Taylor Fritz in the last eight. Djokovic faced stiff resistance in the semis against Alexander Zverev but won fairly in two tight sets to set up a maiden hard-court meeting against Carlos Alcaraz. It will be a rematch of the 2023 Wimbledon final which Alcaraz shocked the world by winning his second Grand Slam title at the expense of 23-time major winner Djokovic.
It’s a top-two showdown for the title at the Cincinnati Masters and revenge will be on Novak Djokovic’s mind. Carlos Alcaraz has not been at his scintillating best, but he’s been gritty and resilient, showcasing his full repertoire to dig out a quartet of three-set wins. However, the summer hard-court swing is his most vulnerable period and he is learning the rigors of non-stop tennis at this stage, which is to be expected. Djokovic, by contrast, has looked resplendent. He’s been energized and rejuvenated after taking a one-month break. Alcaraz can dominate with his forehand, but it has looked patchy this week and that significantly lessens his chances here. After so many near-misses in the past, Djokovic gets our vote to win his third Western & Southern Open title.