“At 36 years old to be able to go out and do that, Novak Djokovic is an absolute specimen” - Andy Roddick praises Serb following Cincinnati triumph

Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick has heaped praise on Novak Djokovic following the Serb's Cincinnati Open triumph.

On Sunday, Djokovic took on Carlos Alcaraz in the title match of the Western & Southern Open. He was given a run for his money by the Spaniard and had to save a championship point before emerging victorious 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4).

Speaking on Tennis Channel after Djokovic's Cincinnati win, Roddick stated that the 23-time Grand Slam champion was "an absolute specimen" for going strong at the age of 36. The American also explained how Djokovic's game considerably improved once the conditions started favoring him, before adding that the World No. 2 should not be blamed for making strategic use of breaks.

“Novak is an absolute specimen. At 36 years old to be able to go out and do that, especially recovering. Once the sun went down, it changed something. So it was the sun, it was the heat. Then once the conditions became a little more muted, he took some breaks, he figured out a way to ask permission to go and change his clothes,” he said.

“The umpire said ‘okay’. We can talk all night whether or not that was the right call, but like we can't be mad at Novak for asking the question. It’s the umpire’s job to enforce the rules. So he shouldn't take the direct criticism from that and I hope he doesn't. But finding a way to get through that one way or the other,” Roddick added.

Roddick further said Djokovic was completely drained an hour into the contest, but marveled at how the Serb lasted almost four hours in the end. The 40-year-old also praised Alcaraz for the aggressive manner in which he fought.

“I thought he [Novak Djokovic] was cooked an hour into the match then all of a sudden you look up and it's three hours and 50 minutes total time and he looks better than he did in the first set out. Alcaraz just absolutely cold-blooded hitting winners down match points, hitting winners up set point,” he said.

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“I don't know that the hype could have been overstated for this one” - Andy Roddick on Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz's Cincinnati Open final

Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic pose following the 2023 Cincinnati Open final.

Novak Djokovic rallied from a set and a break down against Carlos Alcaraz to win the 2023 Cincinnati Open title. That gave a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title to the Serb.

The three-hour and 49-minute contest is now the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

Andy Roddick opined that the Western & Southern Open final between Djokovic and Alcaraz could make a claim for the best best-of-three match in men's tennis history.

“I don't know if it is [the best two out of three sets match ever] but I also don't think you're nuts for actually saying it is in the moment. I don't think that's hyperbolic at all,” he said.

“That's one of the most physical, well-executed battles full of drama with a crowd that was absolutely just there for it. There's no criticism on either side, maybe Alcaraz plays a loose game in the third set there, but that's bound to happen over four hours of tennis,” he added.

Roddick also said that the final met the pre-match hype, which is rarely the case for most contests on the tour.

“I mean, it was just everything you would have wanted. Like we hype up a lot of matchups and we get carried away sometimes. I don't know that the hype could have been overstated for this one,” he said.