NOVAK Djokovic achieved a monumental milestone on Saturday (Sunday, May 25, 2025, PH time), clinching his 100th career singles title by overcoming Hubert Hurkacz, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), in a grueling three-hour-plus battle at the Geneva Open.
This victory comes after Djokovic had lost his two previous finals since securing his 99th title nine months prior at the Paris Olympics at
Roland-Garros.
The attainment of his century of titles was the culmination of a typically challenging and hard-fought match, occurring just two days after his 38th birthday. The achievement was made even more special by the presence of his family in the Swiss city, where some relatives reside.
“I’m just grateful to clinch the 100 here,” Djokovic expressed during an on-court interview. “I had to work for it, that is for sure.”
With this remarkable feat, Djokovic now joins an elite group of tennis legends in the Open era who have reached a century of tournament wins. This exclusive club includes Jimmy Connors, who holds the record with 109 titles, and Roger Federer with 103.
The three-time French Open champion is now set to return to Paris, aiming to further expand his record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. His French Open campaign is scheduled to begin on Monday with a first-round match against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.
The decisive moment in the Geneva final saw Djokovic serve an ace down the middle to complete his surge to victory. This came after he had secured his first break of Hurkacz’s serve in the deciding set, while trailing 4-3.
Djokovic capitalized on that crucial break-point opportunity with a forehand cross-court winner, advancing to the net on Hurkacz’s sliced half-volley.
Reflecting on the challenging encounter, Djokovic admitted, “Hubert was probably closer to the victory the entire match than I was. I don’t know how I broke his serve.”
This victory also marks another unique achievement for Djokovic, as he becomes the first man in the Open era to win a title in 20 different seasons.
His 100th singles title arrives nearly 19 years after his very first, which he won in July 2006. That initial triumph also occurred on clay, at Amersfoort in the Netherlands, where he defeated Nicolás Massú — the Chilean player who now serves as Hurkacz’s coach.
Prior to this win in Geneva, Djokovic had experienced losses in recent finals, including to Jannik Sinner at the Shanghai Masters last year and to Jakob Mensik at the Miami Masters in March. / From the wires