A Wimbledon closing rematch is within the playing cards on the Western & Southern Open after Novak Djokovic defeated Alexander Zverev within the Cincinnati semi-finals on Saturday.

The 36-year-old overcame Zverev 7-6(5), 7-5 in a baseline slugfest underneath the lights on the ATP Masters 1000 occasion, the place the 23-time main champion Djokovic will subsequent conflict in opposition to World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for a fourth time (1-2).

“In only a few of [Sascha’s] service video games the place I had possibilities, I believe I performed nicely, notably five-all [after] he broke my serve to remain within the match,” Djokovic mentioned in his on-court interview. “I managed to bounce again, performed a fantastic recreation to interrupt him once more and seal the deal within the twelfth recreation of the second set.

“I am happy. I believe there’s a number of issues I may’ve accomplished higher, however total it is a straight-sets win in opposition to a fantastic participant in kind, so I am actually glad.”

In Djokovic and Zverev’s first assembly for the reason that 2021 Nitto ATP Finals, each gamers introduced a excessive stage all through the semi-final. An entertaining opening set featured Zverev surviving a 10-minute service recreation at 4-5 and later forcing a tie-break, the place second seed Djokovic discovered better consistency from his groundstrokes, changing his sixth set level to achieve a bonus.

After being damaged whereas serving for the match at 5-4 within the second set, the 94-time tour-level titlist rapidly recovered to earn a break of his personal, closing the two-hour, four-minute contest in his ensuing service recreation. Djokovic misplaced simply two factors behind his first supply within the second set and struck the ball with depth to enhance to 8-4 in his Lexus ATPHead2Head collection with the two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion.

Along with his 1,068th profession match win, Djokovic strikes into equal third place with Rafael Nadal and Ivan Lendl for many profession victories, trailing solely Roger Federer (1,251) and Jimmy Connors (1,274).

Taking part in in his first match on U.S. soil since 2021, Djokovic has not dropped a set all week. He’s bidding for his third title on the Western & Southern Open (2018, 2020) and a record-extending thirty ninth ATP Masters 1000 singles crown. If Djokovic wins his fourth title of 2023, he would grow to be the oldest Cincinnati champion within the Open Period, surpassing Ken Rosewall (1970).

Djokovic first accomplished the Profession Golden Masters in Cincinnati in 2018 and will he triumph Sunday he may have gained all 9 Masters 1000s 3 times, except for Monte-Carlo, which he has gained twice. No different participant has gained all 9 Masters 1000s.

Sunday would be the Serbian’s record-extending 57th ATP Masters 1000 closing. The Spaniard Alcaraz, who earlier rallied previous Hubert Hurkacz, defeated Djokovic in an exhilarating five-set Wimbledon closing that lasted 4 hours, 43 minutes. Djokovic and Alcaraz are the one two gamers who’ve secured qualification for the season-finale Nitto ATP Finals, which the Belgrade native has gained six occasions.

Though Djokovic can’t reclaim the No. 1 Pepperstone ATP Rating by successful the ultimate, he can draw inside a mere 20 factors of Alcaraz. Provided that the 20-year-old has 2,000 factors to defend on the US Open, which Djokovic didn’t play final 12 months, the Serbian would have a robust likelihood of reclaiming No. 1 after the Open if he can defeat Alcaraz within the Cincinnati title match.

Zverev, 26, suffered his first loss in Cincinnati since 2020, having gained the occasion in 2021 and lacking it final 12 months as a result of damage. The World No. 17 slips to 38-20 this season. By reaching the semi-finals, Zverev has climbed two spots this week to eighth within the Pepperstone ATP Stay Race To Turin, contained in the reduce for the Nitto ATP Finals.