Fire still burns as Djokovic prepares for US return

Novak Djokovic said he still had fire in his belly as the 23-times Grand Slam champion prepares to return to action at this week’s Cincinnati Open after losing the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz last month.Djokovic’s bid for a calendar year Grand Slam after winning the Australian Open and French Open titles ended in a five-sets defeat at the All England Club, but the 36-year-old said he was over that disappointment in a day.The Serbian will now aim to finish the season strongly, starting with the US hardcourt swing. He is returning to the country for the first time in two years after being denied entry due to being unvaccinated for Covid-19."I like the feeling that I have after 20 plus years of professional tennis. There’s still a fire going,” Djokovic said on the ATP website ahead of his Cincinnati opener against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Tomas Martin Etcheverry."There’s still that drive and motivation to really come at the biggest events in sport and try to win, try to win titles and try to bring some good sensation to the crowds.”Djokovic will compete in Cincinnati for the first time since 2019 as he prepares for the U.S. Open, which starts on August 28."If I’m not motivated, I wouldn’t be here,” Djokovic added."After many years of professional tennis, I feel I have a choice to play what I really want to. I really wanted to be in Cincinnati and of course the US Open is around the corner.”The three-times US Open champion was given a taste of the reception he is likely to receive with a massive turnout for his practice session on Saturday."I made a joke with my coach and asked him whether we were at the right court, because we thought it was a match,” he said.It’s really amazing. I’m very grateful for the presence of so many people at a practice session.”Meanwhile, Alcaraz has put his quarter-final loss at the Toronto Masters behind him as he prepares to renew his rivalry with Djokovic in Cincinnati next week.The Spanish world number one made a surprisingly early exit in Canada, bundled out of the last eight by Tommy Paul in three sets to end a lacklustre campaign.But the 20-year-old was in no mood to dwell on that loss on Sunday as he looked ahead to the Cincinnati Masters, the last warm-up before he launches the defence of his US Open crown later this month.This week’s tournament in the Midwest carries added intrigue with a field that contains 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.The pair last met in the Wimbledon final, with the Spaniard prevailing in a five-set classic. Djokovic has not played since that defeat a month ago, and Alcaraz can’t wait to lock horns with the Serb once again."I like those battles. I like to know that I can lose, and I can recover it at the same time,” Alcaraz said on Sunday."You must enjoy (it) when the battle is against one of the legends from our sport, against Novak."I feel I’m (the) main opponent; for me, it’s something crazy, and I’m trying to enjoy.”Alcaraz got caught out on Friday in Toronto as he lost to American Paul. But the bitter taste did not linger long."The main goal is to stay in the top spot,” Alcaraz said. "And if I lose it, try to recover it as fast as I can.”He added that his recent Canadian setback should remain a distant - if unpleasant - memory."It wasn’t a good week for me, (there are) a lot of things to improve coming into this tournament."Last year, I lost (Montreal first round) and then (Cincinnati quarters) - and then I won the US Open."I have to overcome that week that I had in Toronto, try to play better here and try to do better the things that I did bad in Toronto.”