ATP Tour

Djokovic recalls battles with Federer, Alcaraz ahead of Cincinnati return

Like he does at most stops on the ATP Tour, Novak Djokovic has plenty of fond memories to look back on when it comes to competing at the Cincinnati Open.

Yet that does not mean the Serbian has forgotten the tough moments he endured at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Ohio prior to becoming a three-time champion there. Djokovic won just one of his first four matches in Cincinnati and then lost his first five finals in Ohio — two to Andy Murray (2008, 2011) and three to his ‘Big Three’ rival Roger Federer (2009, 2012, 2015).

“I have great memories of this tournament, [although] it took me a while to win my first title here,” Djokovic, who ultimately avenged his defeats against Federer by defeating the Swiss to finally win his first Cincinnati trophy in 2018, said on Thursday ahead of the 2026 edition of the event. “I think I was four or five finals prior to winning it for the first time against Roger. Actually, I was losing mostly to him in those finals that I played previously.

“It was a hard hurdle for me to overcome. But once I got the first title, it kind of felt like a huge relief in a sense, coming back knowing that you wanted this one. I've had some great support here from Chicago and Ohio. The Serbian community is really big. That's what I remember actually from the 2023 final and the 2018 final. There were quite a lot of Serbian flags in the stadium. That was really nice.”

A former No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, Djokovic is a record 40-time ATP Masters 1000 champion, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. It was in Cincinnati that his story competing at that level began, back in 2005, when he fell to Fernando Gonzalez in the first round in Ohio. Twenty-one years later and he will enter the draw as a three-time champion, having also triumphed in 2020 and 2023 following his 2018 maiden win.

The third of those trophies was clinched in spectacular fashion at the Lindner Family Tennis Centre. Djokovic saved a championship point against Carlos Alcaraz before prevailing 5-7, 7-6(7), 7-6(4) after three hours and 49 minutes, the longest best-of-three final in ATP Tour history (since 1990).

“I wasn't aware that this was the first Masters 1000 main draw that I played in my career,” Djokovic, who will face Thiago Agustin Tirante or Jan Choinski in his opening-round match this year, said. “It was back in 2005. It has been about 20 or 21 years that I have been coming here. The last time I was here, I won the title in 2023. It was one of the most epic best-of-three matches that I was ever part of.

“I look forward to playing at this tournament. I played the last one in 2023 and the facilities have improved so much, tremendously. Incredible job.”