Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will square off in the final of the Cincinnati Open on Sunday, August 20. They defeated Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz, respectively, to book a rematch of the 2023 Wimbledon final. This time, however, will be the first time they play each other on a hardcourt surface.
Alcaraz is one of the very few players who boasts a winning head-to-head record with Djokovic after playing multiple matches. The Spaniard leads Nole 2-1. The pair’s first two games were on clay courts and the most recent one was on the grass at Wimbledon. The final between the top two seeds in Cincinnati becomes more interesting since it’s their first-ever clash on a hard surface.
Novak Djokovic vs. Carlos Alcaraz; Who does the hard court back?
Alcaraz may lead Djokovic by a hair’s breadth in their head-to-head, but the Serb has an undisputedly better hardcourt record than the Spaniard. Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open titles, most by any player ever, are a testament to his supreme abilities on hard surfaces. Overall, he has won a whopping 67 titles on hard courts, which makes up for over 70% of the total 94 senior singles titles he has won so far. Clearly, the World No.2 has an affinity towards this particular surface.
Alcaraz is undoubtedly extremely talented, rising to World No.1 within five years of turning pro. However, the two-time Grand Slam winner’s numbers on hard court aren’t in the same league as Djokovic. Alcaraz has never made it past the third round at the Australian Open. He may have won the 2022 US Open but, with all respect to his campaign, it will go down as one of the easier paths to a Grand Slam title. In a field without Djokovic, the highest-ranked opponent Alcaraz faced was Casper Ruud in the finals. All his previous matches against seeded opponents in the tournament were five-setters. Only three out of his 12 singles titles have been hardcourt tournaments. It would not be incorrect to assume that Alcaraz is least comfortable on hard surfaces.
Djokovic has a significantly clear advantage when it comes to facing off on hard surfaces. In his glorious career spanning two decades, he has played 792 matches on hard courts, winning 670. He has played 16 hardcourt matches this year, losing only once. Alcaraz has lost twice in 14 fixtures. The Serb’s numbers dwarf that of Alcaraz, and his experience on hard surfaces simply cannot be ignored. He knows hard courts like the back of his hand and is familiar with what separates them from grass and clay surfaces. Cincinnati is a title he has won twice, hence his familiarity with the court and his pedigree gives him an edge over Alcaraz in their first-ever clash on a hard court.
Alcaraz will not give up easily against Djokovic
Djokovic’s burgeoning hardcourt records will not deter Alcaraz. He will draw inspiration from the recent Wimbledon win which will still be fresh on his mind. All of the the Spaniard’s matches at the Cincinnati Open have gone to the deciding set. Djokovic, meanwhile, has not dropped a single set in his first tournament since Wimbledon.
Alcaraz has shown that he can come out on top after taking the matches deep. He will need every bit of his resilience if he is to upstage Djokovic on the latter’s favorite surface. While the Serb is the king of the hard court, Alcaraz is the World No.1 with a winning record against the 23-time Grand Slam winner. Novak Djokovic may have the advantage on this surface, but Alcaraz will not be going down without a fight. Expect a mouth-watering clash as the top two of the tennis world take on each other.
