In the last six months, much has changed in the landscape of athletic competition.
Tennis hasn't been immune to those changes – fans noticeably absent from the stands due to the COVID-19 pandemic – but the one thing that doesn't seem to have changed is the greatness of Novak Djokovic.
To keep his yearlong unbeaten streak alive (23-0) and capture his second Western & Southern Open in the last three years, Djokovic had to survive his second three-set war in as many days to escape Canadian Milos Raonic 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, New York.
It's a win that lifts in Djokovic into the ranks of one of the most prestigious tennis clubs ever.
Djokovic is now one of five players in the Open Era to win 80 career singles titles, joining Jimmy Connors (109), Roger Federer (103), Ivan Lendl (94) and Rafael Nadal (85).
That wasn't all that was on the line Saturday, either.
With the win, Djokovic tied Nadal's all-time-career ATP Masters 1000 record of 35 titles Saturday, and Djokovic, who is the only player to win a Career Golden Masters, also became the first player to win all 9 Masters tournaments twice.
"It's hard for me to talk about, you know, my legacy or my position in sport from that standpoint," said Djokovic. "Obviously, I am trying to make the most of my career, trying to use this time when I feel that I am physically, mentally, emotionally, game-wise at the peak I think and playing some of the best tennis that I have ever played.
"I'm just trying to enjoy it and embrace the process. How long that journey is going to last and what kind of legacy I'm going to leave behind, that's on somebody else to really judge and evaluate."
For the second day in a row, Djokovic, who needed three hours Friday to outlast Roberto Bautista Agut, dropped the opening set, only to rally and win the next two, securing a second Rookwood Cup for his extensive trophy case.
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Djokovic – the first top seed/World No. 1 to win the W&S Open since Federer in 2012 – didn't have his first look at a break point until 3-2 in the second set, and as quickly as it appeared, Djokovic took advantage of it, taking a 4-2 lead in the second set which would eventually help him extend the match to a third and deciding set.
Raonic, who's ranked No. 30 in the world, took an early break point from Djokovic in the third set, but the 33-year-old Serbian star stormed back with consecutive break points to take control of the match with muscles flexed and an emotional yell that echoed around the nearly empty arena.
Now, Djokovic will ready himself for the start of the US Open Monday night on short rest, in search of his fourth career US Open title and his 18th career Grand Slam title.
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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic stays unbeaten, wins 2020 Western & Southern Open title - The Cincinnati Enquirer
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