Novak Djokovic made history on Saturday by becoming just the third man in the Open Era to win 100 ATP singles titles.
The Serbian star reached the milestone with a gritty 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2) victory over Hubert Hurkacz in the Geneva Open final.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion now joins tennis legends Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only men to achieve 100 career singles titles on the ATP Tour.
In his on-court interview, Djokovic thanked his family for being there: “I want to thank my wife and kids for coming during their short school break — even skipping a day of school just to support me,” he said.
He also showed appreciation for his team, especially for their patience: “Today was tough. I wasn’t easy to be around on the court, but thank you for staying with me and sharing in this 100th victory.”
Since his 99th title at the 2024 Paris Olympics eight months ago, Djokovic has struggled, particularly on clay courts. He had early exits in both the Monte-Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open, losing in the first round of each.
Saturday’s match didn’t start smoothly for the world No. 1 either. He missed two early break points and dropped the first set after double-faulting in the 12th game. But Djokovic, who turned 38 on Thursday, showed resilience — winning tiebreaks in the next two sets and breaking Hurkacz’s rhythm at crucial moments.
In a show of sportsmanship, Djokovic acknowledged Hurkacz’s performance: “You were the better player for most of the match. I know this loss stings, but you played really well,” he said.
There was added symmetry to the win — Hurkacz is coached by Nicolás Massú, the same man Djokovic defeated to win his first ATP title back in 2006.
Now, Djokovic turns his attention to the French Open, where he’ll aim for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. He opens his campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald on Sunday.
UA / TDS
