Novak Djokovic stepped onto the hard courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium as the world no.2, basking in the aftermath of a hard-fought victory against Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Open Finals. It seems like Djoker is ready to claim his 24th Grand Slam.
In a night-session match amid a chilly New York atmosphere, the Serbian defeated Frenchman Alexandre Muller 6-0, 6-2, 6-3, setting up a second-round clash with Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles. The match was delayed due to Coco Gauff’s preceding victory over Laura Siegemund, which meant that Djokovic had to wait to begin his quest for a fourth US Open title.
Djokovic set to reassume top ranking after US Open triumph
The victory had a significant impact on the ATP rankings, as Novak Djokovic dethroned Carlos Alcaraz to regain the world no.1 spot.
“I started tremendously well, we started quite late but nevertheless I was excited to go out on the court – it has been a couple of years,” said Djokovic, who will spend a record-extending 390th week at the top of the ATP rankings.
“In the second and third sets I dropped the level of my serve and I had to work for the points a bit more. Nevertheless I played great and I liked the level.”
This new ranking for the Serb is a result of him not having any points to defend. This is unlike his rival Alcaraz, who has all 2000 points to defend after winning last year’s US Open. Therefore, Novak Djokovic will only gain points with every win, whereas Alcaraz will not add any points to his tally.
In his post-match press conference, Carlos Alcaraz addressed the situation, saying “It’s a good battle for the number one ranking. I knew he would reclaim the world no.1 spot after the US Open. After the tournament, I will aim to recover before the season concludes. Several tournaments remain before the end of the year, and I will work hard to regain the no.1 ranking.”
With former US President Barack Obama in the audience, Novak Djokovic delivered exquisite tennis to an enthusiastic crowd. Describing the atmosphere vividly, he said “It is the loudest and most humid stadium. I have seen players sweating. The crowd is loud, energetic and New Yorkers love their tennis. Here, it is all about entertainment and good vibes. If you can feed on that, you will have good fun.”
Djokovic lost world No.1 spot to Carlos Alcaraz weeks before French Open
The rivalry between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz is an intriguing juxtaposition of contrasting age differences and varied playing styles. The two have battled throughout the 2023 season on slippery clay courts, dew-covered grass, and unyielding hard courts. The current head-to-head record stands at 2-2, with Djokovic’s Cincinnati victory levelling the scoreline.
In May 2023, Carlos Alcaraz replaced Novak Djokovic as the world no.1 leading up to the French Open. The Serb had slid down the rankings to no.3, while Daniil Medvedev’s Italian Open win secured his second-seed status in Roland Garros. The seeding system led the two rivals to meet in the semi-finals, where Novak Djokovic eventually triumphed over Alcaraz in four sets.
After securing his 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open, Novak Djokovic reclaimed the World No. 1 ranking from Carlos Alcaraz. The topsy-turvy battle for the coveted top spot continued through the year as the Spaniard’s ATP tour title wins at the Madrid Open, Barcelona Open, Wimbledon, and Queen’s Club Championship propelled him back to world no.1. However, this lasted only until the US Open. Novak Djokovic has spent more weeks at No. 1 than anyone — man or woman — in the history of the sport’s computerized rankings.
The US Open draw has been arranged in a way that the two can only meet in the final, setting the stage for a highly anticipated showdown that many had hoped for before the start of the US Open.
How much are you looking forward to a potential clash between Alcaraz and Djokovic at the US Open? If they meet, who do you think would win and go 3-2 in their head-to-head meetings? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
