Novak Djokovic beats Carlos Alcaraz in a Three-Set Thriller for his 39th Masters Title
Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz in a three-set thriller to win the Madrid Masters on Sunday.
The world No. 1 came back from a set down to win 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-6(5) in a match that lasted over three hours.
It was Djokovic’s 39th Masters title, moving him one behind Rafael Nadal for the most in the Open Era.
The match was a battle of the generations, with Djokovic, 35, and Alcaraz, 19, both playing at a high level.
Djokovic started the match well, taking a 4-1 lead in the first set. But Alcaraz fought back to level the set at 5-5.
The set went to a tiebreak, and Alcaraz took it 7-5.
Djokovic was more dominant in the second set, taking a 5-2 lead. But Alcaraz again fought back to level the set at 5-5.
The set went to another tiebreak, and Djokovic won it 7-5.
The third set was the closest of the three, with both players trading breaks.
Djokovic eventually prevailed in the tiebreak, winning it 7-5.
It was a remarkable victory for Djokovic, who had not played since losing to Nadal in the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells Masters in March.
The win also puts Djokovic in good shape for the French Open, which starts next month.
Djokovic is the defending champion at Roland-Garros, and he will be looking to win his 22nd Grand Slam title.
“It was a very close match,” Djokovic said after the win. “Carlos is a great player, and he’s going to be a great champion. I’m glad I could win today.”
Alcaraz was gracious in defeat.
“It was an amazing match,” Alcaraz said. “Novak is a great champion, and I learned a lot from him today.”
The win was Djokovic’s first Masters title of the year. He will now turn his attention to the Italian Open, which starts next week.