Novak Djokovic summoned every ounce of his champion’s spirit to etch another milestone into tennis history, rallying past Hubert Hurkacz in a gruelling three-hour Geneva final to claim his 100th ATP title and send a powerful message ahead of Roland Garros.
The 38-year-old Serb overcame a slow start and a third-set deficit to beat Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2), becoming only the third man in the Open era to reach triple digits in career titles, joining Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.
It was a hard-fought win, forged more through resilience than flair. After dropping the opening set on a double fault, Djokovic steadied himself, his children watching from the stands before racing onto the court in celebration once the battle was done.
Hurkacz, still rebuilding after a knee injury at Wimbledon, served with menace and had the early upper hand. But when the pressure mounted late in the decider, his game unravelled, gifting Djokovic the break that swung momentum.
“I’ve played a lot of matches, but few as mentally exhausting as this,” Djokovic reflected courtside, visibly relieved as he addressed a crowd that cheered him like one of their own.
It’s been a turbulent clay season for the world No.1, who entered Geneva without a win on the surface and exited early in Monte Carlo and Madrid. A split with coach Goran Ivanisevic added to the turbulence, but the Geneva wildcard may have turned the tide.
His serve clicked. His returns tightened. And in both tie-breaks, he looked like the Djokovic of old, ruthless, focused, immovable.
With Paris looming, the 24-time Grand Slam winner now heads to Roland Garros not just with match fitness, but momentum. His chase for a record-breaking 25th Slam starts against Mackenzie McDonald, but Geneva proved he’s far from done.
