Novak Jjokovic will become the third man to win 100 ATP single titles in victory over Hubert Hurkacz

CNN
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Novak Jjokovic became the third man in the open era to win 100 ATP singles titles on Saturday, beating Hubert Halkatz 5-7, 7-6 (7-2) and 7-6 (7-2) in the final of the Geneva Open.

The winner of the 24th Grand Slam was joined by Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only man to achieve the feat.

“I would like to thank my wife and children for coming for only three days during school breaks. I’ll just cut off school and be with me for the day,” Djokovic said in a court interview.

“My team, the only thing I can say is thank you for being with me in bad times as well as good times. I was out to you a lot today, so staying on the court was very challenging.

Djokovic has endured a difficult-to-match run since winning his 99th title when he won a gold medal in the men’s singles at the 2024 Olympics in Paris eight months ago. He has struggled especially with Clay, and recently made his way through the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open in the first match of each tournament.

And for most of Saturday’s game, it seemed the milestones would once again escape Serbia.

2-2 in the first set, he was unable to take advantage of the two breakpoints, which plagued him when Harukacchi took the set thanks to Djokovic’s double obstacles in the 12th game.

However, as the match progressed, Djokovic, who turned 38 on Friday, showed a determined determination that appears to have broken Harukach four times in a tiebreaker after the second player held the serve throughout the second set.

I was searching for a long time as if the victory was running away from Jjokovic again, as it was defeated by Hurkacz in the first game of the third set. However, his quality came to the forefront again and he returned to 4-4 before winning another tiebreak.

“It’s the bitter taste in the mouth to lose a match like this,” Djokovic told Harukac in a subsequent interview on the court. “You’ve definitely been most of the games and I think you were a better player.”

Winning, surprisingly, means 100 of Serbs^th The title comes against a player coached by former Chilean world number 9 Nicholas Mass, who Djokovic beat to win his first ATP title in 2006.

Djokovic now turns his attention to the French open, where he aims to win his record-breaking 25th Grand Slam. He will face American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round that begins on Sunday.