Novak Djokovic won his 100th career title at the Geneva Open on Saturday to become only the third man in the Open Era to achieve this monumental feat.
Djokovic, who entered this low-key ATP 250 event in the Swiss Alps without any match wins in this year’s clay-court swing, clinched his first ATP title since the 2023 ATP Finals and a first piece of hardware since the 2024 Paris Olympics. He rallied from a set down to beat Hubert Hurkacz 5-7 7-6 7-6 in a three-hour marathon final. Djokovic extends his perfect record against the Pole to 8-0.
Djokovic joins Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer to win 100 singles titles
Having just celebrated his 38th birthday during the tournament, Djokovic endeavored to head to the French Open as a champion for the 100th time. And he successfully conquered the field in Geneva, joining an exclusive club of Jimmy Connors (109) and his former rival Roger Federer (103) as the only men to hit three digits in singles titles in the Open Era.
After a couple of early losses in Monte Carlo and Madrid, and a no-show in Rome, there was an unmistakable lack of sharpness to his game. And in a week when the tennis caravan of established names takes some time off, Djokovic went against convention. He took a surprise wild card in Geneva. Throughout his career, Djokovic has been less interested in optics but was more concerned with actual results.
They say champions tend to choose the path of least resistance, and Djokovic’s decision to skip an ATP Masters 1000 for an ATP 250 a week before a Slam was peculiar in many ways, considering his legendary status. Aside from the minimal media footprint for the tournament, there was a risk of an injury that might have ruled him out of the second Grand Slam of the season (he already retired from the Australian Open semifinals). An ATP 250 before a Slam also tends to attract a lower cadre of players in desperate need of points, so Djokovic would have missed out on testing himself against the cream of the crop.
But champions, sometimes, need to lean into the friction. They need to chase form through effort, and Djokovic has never been afraid of doing things his way. Geneva offered him a sense of rhythm, and for the first time since the Miami Open, his mind looked engaged. It’s unclear how much of an impact this title win will have on his French Open journey in the next two weeks, but he’s been able to resurrect his hunger, and his self-belief will be soaring. It would be foolhardy to write him off as one of the favorites.
Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
