PARIS, France — Ahead of the draw for the US Open on Thursday, Novak Djokovic neared a return to world number one after outlasting Carlos Alcaraz to win the Cincinnati Open.
In his last warm-up event for the season’s final major, Djokovic took some revenge on Sunday on the 20-year-old Spaniard who won their final at Wimbledon on July 17.
Djokovic fell a set behind but fought back to win 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4) on his fifth match point and after 3 hours 49 minutes of play.
The Serb cut Alcaraz’s lead atop the rankings to 20 points, and will reclaim top spot if wins his first-round match at the US Open.
Djokovic has not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.
Dane Holger Rune climbed to No. 4 at the expense of Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, who dropped three places.
Alexander Zverev climbed five places to 12th after his run to the semi-finals in Cincinnati.
ATP rankings as of August 21:
- Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 9815 pts
- Novak Djokovic (SRB) 9795
- Daniil Medvedev 6260
- Holger Rune (DEN) 4790 (+1)
- Casper Ruud (NOR) 4715 (+2)
- Jannik Sinner (ITA) 4645
- Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4580 (-3)
- Andrey Rublev 4515
- Taylor Fritz (USA) 3605
- Frances Tiafoe (USA) 3050
- Karen Khachanov 2845
- Alexander Zverev (GER) 2670 (+5)
- Alex De Minaur (AUS) 2595 (-1)
- Tommy Paul (USA) 2570 (-1)
- Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 2375 (-1)
- Cameron Norrie (GBR) 2075 (-1)
- Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 2035 (+3)
- Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 2005
- Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1690
- Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) 1600 (+1)
Source: ABS-CBN News | August 22, 2023
