Djokovic Wins 100th Title After Tough Battle in Geneva

By: Gyang Dakwo

Novak Djokovic reached a major milestone on Saturday, becoming just the third man in the Open era to win 100 ATP singles titles. He achieved the historic win by beating Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2) in the final of the Geneva Open.

Djokovic now joins tennis legends Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only men to win 100 or more singles titles since the Open era began.

In his on-court interview after the match, the 24-time Grand Slam winner gave heartfelt thanks to his loved ones and his team.

“I want to thank my wife and my kids for coming for three days only on the school break, cutting the school for one day, just to be with me,” Djokovic said.

He also spoke about the tough emotions he felt during the match. “My team, the only thing I can say is thank you for being with me in the good times but also in the bad times. Today was very challenging to stay with me on the court because I was going off at you quite a lot, so I want to thank you for staying here and earning with me this victory number 100.”

This victory was a long time coming for Djokovic. His 99th title came eight months ago when he won the gold medal in men’s singles at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Since then, he has struggled with form, especially on clay. He lost in the first round at both the Monte-Carlo Masters and Madrid Open.

On Saturday, it looked like he might fall short again. Hurkacz took the first set and kept up strong play throughout the match. But Djokovic, who turned 38 just a day before, showed his famous fighting spirit. He broke Hurkacz four times in tiebreaks, holding his nerve when it mattered most.

Now, Djokovic will shift his focus to the French Open, where he will try to win a record 25th Grand Slam title. He is set to face American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round on Sunday.