In the Cincinnati Open, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are the two top seeds and hence in separate halves of the draw. The clash of the two titans can happen in the finals of this ATP Masters 1000 tournament, where the world no. 1 ranking is at stake.
Alcaraz’s Cincinnati journey starts with a bye, with the possibility of a second-round match against American star John Isner. The road ahead might see him pitted against Tommy Paul in the round of 16, whom he lost to in the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open last week. This could be followed by a potential clash with Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals—a rematch of last year’s US Open final.
Stefanos Tsitsipas, the fourth-seeded Greek, shares Alcaraz’s draw, setting the stage for a possible showdown in the semifinals. The seventh-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev and the defending champion, Croatia’s Borna Coric, seeded 15th, also loom as competitors in the same half of the draw.
🚨🚨 THE @atptour #CINCYTENNIS MAIN DRAW IS OUT 🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/ikQaEZAkXa
— Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) August 12, 2023
Meanwhile, the second-seeded Novak Djokovic is preparing for his return to competitive play after his defeat to Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. The 36-year-old Serbian skipped the previous year’s edition of Cincinnati Masters due to his inability to enter the US because of his unvaccinated status. Hence by winning the tournament, he can earn a full 1000 points (800 points for being a finalist).
Carlos Alcaraz’s World No. 1 ranking under threat in Cincinnati
Following his unexpected quarter-finals loss to Tommy Paul in Toronto, Alcaraz’s hold on the top spot in the ATP Rankings could be at risk this week. As things stand, Carlos Alcaraz (9,395) is just 600 points ahead of Novak Djokovic (8,795). The Spanish player, who reached the quarter-finals in Cincinnati last year, needs to secure a place in the final this year to ensure he retains the world no. 1 ranking.
In another probable scenario, for Djokovic to dethrone Alcaraz from the world No. 1 ranking, he must at least make it to the final. He’ll ascend to the top position if he manages to secure a place in the championship match, provided that Alcaraz’s progress doesn’t extend beyond the quarterfinals.
Novak Djokovic opens up about moving on from his Wimbledon loss
In the wake of his rare Wimbledon defeat against Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic has made a swift recovery both physically and mentally exemplifying his tenacity and resilience. During his recent ATP press conference in Cincinnati, Djokovic’s words shed light on his determination to embrace both victories and losses with an unwavering spirit.
Djokovic’s candid reflections reveal his ability to swiftly move beyond setbacks and prepare for his upcoming challenges on American soil. Novak Djokovic opened up about his rebound after his rare Wimbledon finals defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. He stated that it was neither the first nor last match that he had lost and revealed, “I was over it in a day.”
Commending Alcaraz’s resilience during crucial moments of the match, Djokovic highlighted, “It was a close match, but well deserved from his side.” He acknowledged Alcaraz’s prowess in the pivotal moments of the match and showed his pragmatic side when he said, “I think he was a deserved winner and that’s it really, pretty much. You move on.”
Why did Djokovic opt out of the Canadian Masters 1000 event?
Following the defeat in London, the 23-time Grand Slam champion made the decision to step away from the court, withdrawing from the Canadian Open due to “fatigue.” Djokovic emphasized the importance of family and the recovery process, sharing, “A lot of family time, resting, and preparation for the tournaments here on American soil.”
Dancing his way to the USA! 🕺🏼
See ya in Cincinnati Novak! #djokovic𓃵 #CincyTennis 🇺🇸🎾 pic.twitter.com/of3RzwWYC9
— Rodney (@RottenKnee23) August 12, 2023
The 36-year-old expressed his anticipation for the American leg of the tournaments, and said, “It’s been two years since I was last in America. So, of course, I’m very excited and was very much looking forward to coming.”
In this candid admission, Novak Djokovic revealed a realistic side of his personality and showed his humane persona. it seems that he has come to terms with the transitory nature of both winning and losing in his storied tennis journey.