Novak Djokovic has won the hundredth ATP title of his career on Saturday. The 24-time Grand Slam winner was too strong for the Pole Hubert Hurkacz in the final of the Geneva clay court tournament.
The 38-year-old Djokovic defeated the ten-year-younger Hurkacz in a battle of attrition: 5-7, 7-6 (2) and 7-6 (2). The match on the Swiss clay lasted more than three hours.
In the first set, Djokovic and Hurkacz were very evenly matched. The Serbian missed two breakpoints in the fifth game, after which his opponent did strike in the twelfth game on his first break chance.
Djokovic also had a hard time with Hurkacz in the second set. A tiebreak had to be used, and in it, the world number six was clearly the better with 7-2.
In the decisive set, Djokovic faced an early break deficit, but restored the balance in the eighth game. A tiebreak ultimately had to provide the decisive factor, and in it, Djokovic took the win on his first match point.
Djokovic with Excellent Feeling to Roland Garros
Djokovic had been waiting for his hundredth tournament victory since his Olympic title in Paris. After that, he had already reached the final twice, but he lost to Jannik Sinner in Shanghai and was surprised by the Czech Jakub MensÃk in Miami. In Geneva, the third time was the charm.
Thanks to his hundredth ATP title, Djokovic travels to Roland Garros with an excellent feeling, which he won in 2016, 2021 and 2023. The Grand Slam tournament in Paris starts on Sunday.