Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz’s epic Cincinnati Open final sets the stage for U.S. Open

It sure feels like the men’s tennis season will conclude at the U.S. Open in the only way possible.

Another showdown between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.

The two seem locked on a collision course following Sunday’s thrilling Final in the Cincinnati Open. The two battled over nearly four hours in stifling heat and humidity, with Djokovic outlasting Alcaraz 5-7, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) to take the title.

With the match lasting 3 hours and 48 minutes, it now stands as the longest three-set match in ATP history, dating back to 1990.

In the early going, it looked as if Alcaraz was going to cruise to the title. He took the first set and was up 4-2 in the second, but Djokovic broke Alcaraz to tie the set at 4-4. The second set eventually ended up in a tiebreak, with Djokovic staving off Championship Point, and then taking the tiebreak on a 25-shot rally:

Alcaraz was visibly frustrated during the break, slamming his hand against the drink stand, which required a tape job to his hand before the third set began.

In the third set, the two battled each other, and the overwhelming heat and humidity. With temperatures lingering around 90 degrees, Djokovic and Alcaraz traded blows, making for one of the best sets you will ever see.

Here is just a sampling of the action:

The two found themselves in yet another tiebreak, one that Djokovic ultimately won.

After the final point, Djokovic collapsed on the court before ripping his shirt in celebration:

After the match, both players were full of praise for the other.

“The feeling that I have on the court reminds me a little bit when I was facing [Rafael] Nadal when we were at our prime,” said Djokovic. “Each point is a hustle. Each point is a battle. You’ve got to basically earn every single point, every single shot, regardless of the conditions.”

“I don’t think I’ve played too many matches like this in my life,” Djokovic told the media. “You just have to put your hats down to a guy like that. He plays so maturely, handles the pressure so well for a 20-year-old. We cannot forget how young he is. That’s something that is so impressive about him.”

“It’s great to hear those things from Novak, [who] has played iconic matches, storied matches,” said Alcaraz. “That means the team and myself, we are doing great work, we are on a good path.”

The two have faced off twice now, with each taking a pair of victories. Djokovic came out on top at the French Open when Alcaraz was dealing with cramping. Alcaraz’s two victories came in the Final at Wimbledon, as well as the semis at the ATP Masters in Spain.

Could the rubber match come at the U.S. Open? Djokovic seems to think so, as he said to Alcaraz following their thriller in Cincinnati.

“I have so much to say, but I’m not sure that I have the energy,” Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony on Sunday.

“You never give up, do you?” he added to Alcaraz. “I love that about you. I hope we meet in New York. That would be fun — well, for the fans, not for me.”

It certainly would be fun for us watching.