It has been nearly a year since Novak Djokovic won a title. The last he took was at the Paris Olympics in July 2024. Since then, he has watched, as everyone else has, as Jannik Sinner has won most of the tournaments he has been involved in. Djokovic was due.
Arguably the greatest player ever, he has had some chances to win his 100th career title. Only two players have won as many. Jimmy Connors is one with 109, and Roger Federer is the other with 103. Djokovic has been good, but not great, over the last year, so it seemed doubtful he could ever get to 100.
He entered the Geneva Open as a wild card, seemingly trying to get in more clay-court work before the French Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has been more of an also-ran of late, and his chances to win major number 25 seemed distant.
Novak Djokovic gets 100th title by defeating Hubert Hurkacz at the Geneva Open
Maybe not so much now, though. Taking on an in-form Hubert Hurkacz in the final of the Geneva Open, the Serb had to keep battling. He lost the first set after being broken while serving at 5-6. Djokovic then took the second set in a tie-break. He took the third set the same way, winning the tie-break by the same score of 7-2.
Hurkacz was hitting his forehand as well as ever, and he wasn't making mistakes. He had 19 aces against possibly the best returner of all time. Djokovic never played poorly, but one might have assumed he would fail because that is what he had done recently. He had been upset early in tournaments or lost to younger players later at events.
Hurkacz is a dangerous player and could certainly be one of the favorites at the French Open, but maybe Djokovic will be, too. He has won the Paris major three times. He won't be expected to win in 2025, but he knows that. He wouldn't keep playing if he didn't think he could win.
And counting out the Serb is always a mistake. Perhaps he finishes his career holding the trophy in Paris. After his run against a good field in Geneva, he seems ready to make a run at the French Open.