"It's amazing playing against you, sharing the court with you, learning from you" - Carlos Alcaraz to Novak Djokovic after Cincinnati Open final loss

Carlos Alcaraz spoke about what it is like competing against Novak Djokovic following his defeat in the final of the 2023 Cincinnati Open at the hands of the Serb.

Djokovic defeated Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) in three hours and 49 minutes on Sunday to secure the Western & Southern Open title.

The Serb showcased his unwavering determination by making a remarkable comeback from being a set and a break down against the Spaniard and saved a championship point at 5/6 in the second-set tie-break to earn a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title.

Novak Djokovic, 36, also etched his name in the tournament's history books by becoming the oldest champion ever, surpassing the previous record set by Ken Rosewall at the age of 35.

The Cincinnati Open title win propelled the 23-time Grand Slam champion to the third position on the all-time career match wins list, with an impressive total of 1,069 wins surpassing the records of both Rafael Nadal and Ivan Lendl, leaving him trailing behind only Jimmy Connors (1,274) and Roger Federer (1,251).

During the post-match on-court interview, Carlos Alcaraz spoke about facing Novak Djokovic. He graciously congratulated the Serb and his team on the win and stated that he had given his best effort.

Alcaraz expressed his admiration for playing alongside the former World No. 1, highlighting the incredible opportunity it provided to share the court and learn from such a seasoned professional.

“It's gonna be tough for me. It's gonna be tough for me to talk right now but, I tried to do my best. First of all I want to congratulate Novak once again. It's amazing playing against you, share the court with you, learn from you so so close. This match was really close, but I learned a lot from a champion like you. So congratulations to you and your team,” Alcaraz said.

“This rivalry just gets better, it gets better and better” - Novak Djokovic on playing against Carlos Alcaraz

Western & Southern Open

Following his win against Carlos Alcaraz, during the post-match on court interview Novak Djokovic spoke about his rivalry with the World No. 1.

Djokovic expressed that the rivalry between himself and Alcaraz is continuously improving. He emphasized that the Spaniard is an exceptional player whom he holds in high regard and acknowledged that it is truly impressive for someone as young as Alcaraz to exhibit such composure during crucial moments.

“This rivalry just gets better. It gets better and better,” he said. “Amazing player. Tonnes of respect for him. For such a young player to show so much poise in important moments is impressive.”

The 23-time Grand Slam champion stated that this match was one of the most demanding encounters of his career, regardless of the tournament, category, level, or opponent.

“Definitely one of the toughest matches I've ever played in my life, regardless what tournament, what category, what level, what player. It's unbelievable,” he said. “From the beginning 'til the end we've both been through so much, so many ups and downs, highs and lows, incredible points, poor games, heat strokes, coming back.”