This article originally appeared on The Grandstand.
(Photo credit: Karl Corbett (c) 2009 Tennis Acumen)
Expert picks are back for the Cincinnati final on Sunday, when word No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 2 Novak Djokovic meet again following their epic Wimbledon clash. A three-team panel previews the action and makes its predictions.
(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs. (2) Novak Djokovic
Ricky Dimon: This should be another awesome one between Alcaraz and Djokovic. They have faced each other three times and outside of Alcaraz cramping all three have either been instant classics or had the makings of instant classics. As good as this Cincinnati final is expected to be, I think almost every advantage goes to Djokovic–albeit slightly–that will be enough to decide the match by small margins. One, he has the revenge factor on his side following his five-set loss in the Wimbledon title match that ended his hopes of the calendar-year Grand Slam. Two, the Serb has not dropped a single set this week. Alcaraz, on the other hand, hasn’t won a single match in straight sets. Djokovic is in superior form and–even though this isn’t a major–he will be very motivated for obvious reasons. Djokovic in 3: 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
Cheryl Murray: This will be the first ever hard-court match between Djokovic and Alcaraz. Alcaraz has a scant 2-1 head-to-head lead, which includes his most recent title win at Wimbledon. In some ways, the freshness of the rivalry adds some…intrigue. The sample size isn’t yet large enough to determine if there is a legitimate matchup advantage for either man. My instinct says that hard courts will favor Djokovic, as he is the winningest hard-courter of all time. Still, the Wimbledon result gives me pause since I had no real expectation that Alcaraz would swipe that title out from under Djokovic. With that said, I am still inclined to give Djokovic the nod on this since he’s in better form and because he’s…well…Novak Djokovic. Djokovic in 3: 6-4, 6-7(7), 7-5.
Pete Ziebron: This anticipated and expected final almost did not happen on several different occasions, as Alcaraz has been taken to three sets in each of his matches in Cincinnati. A match point was saved in the semis against Hubert Hurkacz and a rain delay in the third set in the round of 16 against Tommy Paul allowed the world No. 1 to regroup and close out yet another tight match. Collectively, Alcaraz is 15 for 60 on break points in the tournament–including just one for 11 in his semifinal win. Djokovic has been much more efficient in his time on court. The Serb did not drop a set en route to the final and he bageled Taylor Fritz in just 20 minutes in the opening set of their quarterfinal. Djokovic will be appearing in his eighth Cincinnati final and is seeking his third title. Alcaraz is certainly fortunate to be playing on Sunday, as he has found a way to advance in each of his previous matches. His current form this week will not be nearly enough to win the title against a determined Djokovic, who has always played well in Cincinnati throughout his storied career. Djokovic in 2: 6-4, 7-5.