Cincinnati Masters 2019: 6 major talking points from the tournament

#3 Djokovic foiled in bid to become first player to win multiple titles at all nine Masters tournaments

Novak Djokovic loses to Daniil Medvedev in Cincinnati semifinals

Top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic survived the upset bug to become the only top-eight seed to reach the Cincinnati quarterfinals where the Serb beat Frenchman Lucas Pouille in straight sets to reach a seventh semifinal at the tournament.

Against Russian Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal, Djokovic burst out the blocks, taking the opening set. He had a breakpoint in the sixth game of the second set as well but failed to convert. At this juncture, Medvedev caught fire and pulverised the Serb with big second serves and punishing groundstrokes.

Three breaks of the Djokovic serve sealed a 3-6 6-3 6-3 victory for Medvedev which foiled the top seed's bid to become the first player to win multiple titles at all nine Masters tournaments.

#4 Gasquet reaches first Masters semifinal in 6 years

Richard Gasquet in quarterfinal action at the 2019 Cincinnati Masters

Richard Gasquet, on the comeback trail from injury, beat gritty Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in a three-set quarterfinal to reach his first Masters semifinal in six years (2013 Miami: lost to Murray).

The Frenchman would, however, fail in his bid to reach a first Masters final in seven years (2012 Coupe Rogers: lost to Djokovic) when he fell to Belgian David Goffin in straight sets in the last four.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

Know More

Edited by Arvind Sriram