Novak Djokovic etched his name further into tennis history by capturing his 100th ATP singles title after a hard-fought victory over Hubert Hurkacz at the Geneva Open. The Serbian legend overcame a tough challenge, securing a 5-7 7-6(2) 7-6(2) win in a high-stakes final that lasted over three hours on Saturday.
This monumental achievement comes nearly nine months after Djokovic claimed his 99th title at the Paris Olympics, hosted at Roland-Garros. The Geneva Open final marked a much-needed comeback for Djokovic, who had lost two finals since his last title win. The triumph occurred just two days after his 38th birthday, with his family present in Geneva—a city that holds personal ties due to relatives living there.
Speaking after the win, Djokovic expressed deep gratitude: “I’m just grateful to clinch the 100 here. I had to work for it, that is for sure.”
With this latest title, Djokovic joins an elite group of tennis legends including Jimmy Connors (109 titles) and Roger Federer (103 titles) as the only male players to achieve a century of titles in the Open era. Notably, Djokovic is also the first player in Open era history to secure tournament victories in 20 different seasons.
The Serbian ace wrapped up the final with a powerful ace down the middle, capping off a determined comeback that saw him break Hurkacz’s serve late in the third set. “Hubert was probably closer to the victory the entire match than I was,” Djokovic admitted. “I don’t know how I broke his serve.”
His journey to the title began nearly 19 years ago when he won his first ATP title on clay in Amersfoort, Netherlands, in July 2006. The victory in Geneva holds additional sentiment as Hurkacz is now coached by Nicolás Massú—the same opponent Djokovic beat to win his maiden title.
The celebration was grand, with three golden balloons displaying “100” floating beside the court. Hurkacz, despite the loss, had kind words: “It’s really inspiring how you present yourself on the court, off the court. It’s just really incredible what you have achieved.”
After struggling in recent clay-court events in Monte Carlo and Madrid and experiencing early exits, Djokovic entered Geneva seeking match rhythm and form ahead of the French Open. He got both—along with a record-setting title.
The victory also gave Djokovic an emotional family moment, celebrating his birthday in Geneva with his wife and children, who traveled to the city for the occasion.
On Monday, Djokovic begins his French Open campaign with a first-round match against American Mackenzie McDonald, with his eyes set on extending his record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
