Andy Roddick called Novak Djokovic “an absolute specimen” after the Serb’s absolutely epic win over Carlos Alcaraz in the Cincinnati Masters final. Djokovic, who turned 36 in May, edged out 20-year-old Alcaraz 5-7 7-6 (7) 7-6 (4) in a three-hour and 49-minute Cincinnati final. Not only that Djokovic won his third Cincinnati Masters title, but he also became the winner in what was the longest ATP final player ever. In the first set, Djokovic appeared to suffer a heat stroke and he called for a doctor and physio early in the match. Also, the fact that Djokovic was playing against Alcaraz didn’t help either. But Djokovic was able to overcome several obstacles and adversitiesĀ during the match and beat Alcaraz in a brutal final.
Roddick on Djokovic: An absolute specimen
āNovak 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. The umpire said āokayā. 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. Itās the umpireās 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. 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,ā Roddick said on Tennis Channel.
After an absolutely epic Cincinnati final, many are hoping to see the next Djokovic and Alcaraz match in this year’s US Open final.