logo
Djokovic advances to Geneva Open final seeking 100th career singles title

Djokovic advances to Geneva Open final seeking 100th career singles title

Japan Today23-05-2025

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns a ball to Cameron Norrie of Britain, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 23, 2025. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)
tennis
Novak Djokovic is one win from a 100th career singles title on the ATP tour after advancing to the final at the Geneva Open on Friday.
The 24-time Grand Slam singles champion let a match-point chance slip in the second set before beating British qualifier Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-1 in their semifinal.
Djokovic will play Hubert Hurkacz in the final on Saturday.
The 31st-ranked Pole eased past Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner 6-3, 6-4.
Djokovic already achieved his main aim in coming to Geneva, gaining match practice on clay before heading to Roland-Garros for the French Open that starts on Sunday.
Wins on three straight days at the lakeside park event — including on his 38th birthday on Thursday — followed losing his opening match at both clay-court events last month in Monte Carlo and Madrid.
Djokovic trailed 5-2 in the second set, then won three straight games and held a match point in the tiebreaker. He netted a service return and Norrie quickly forced a deciding set.
An early service break in the third was backed by dominant serving and Djokovic closed out the semifinal on a rare sun-splashed court this week.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gauff continues American renaissance by stunning Sabalenka for French Open glory
Gauff continues American renaissance by stunning Sabalenka for French Open glory

Japan Times

time4 hours ago

  • Japan Times

Gauff continues American renaissance by stunning Sabalenka for French Open glory

Coco Gauff continued a spectacular season for American women at the Grand Slams when she battled from a set down to topple world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a lackluster French Open final for a maiden Roland Garros crown on Saturday. The 21-year-old's 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4 victory helped her become the first American to capture the singles trophy in Paris since Serena Williams in 2015 and the youngest from the United States to achieve the feat since her decorated compatriot in 2002. Victory, which follows colleague Madison Keys' Australian Open triumph, helped to erase memories of Gauff's crushing loss to Iga Swiatek in 2022 and confirmed her pedigree on the biggest stage after a breakthrough triumph at the 2023 U.S. Open.

Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title
Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title

The Mainichi

time5 hours ago

  • The Mainichi

Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title

PARIS (AP) -- Drawing on the painful memory of her defeat three years ago in the French Open final gave Coco Gauff just the motivation she needed to win the clay-court major for the first time. The 21-year-old American defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title, two years after winning the U.S. Open. "I think (the U.S. Open victory) was more emotional but this one was harder," said Gauff, who managed to handle the elements and the momentum swings better than Sabalenka. "I knew it was going to be about will power and mental (strength)." The victory put to rest the bad memories of her 2022 French Open final loss to Iga Swiatek when, as an 18-year-old, Gauff felt overwhelmed even before stepping onto Court Philippe-Chatrier. "It was a tough time, I was doubting myself," Gauff recalled. "I was crying before the match, and so nervous, literally couldn't breathe and stuff." Gauff said that the lopsided loss rocked her confidence to such an extent that she was left "in a dark place" and feared she was not cut out for winning major titles. "I thought if I can't handle this how am I going to handle it again?" she said. She handled it just fine on Saturday. The second-ranked Gauff made fewer mistakes and kept her emotions in check to get the better of Sabalenka again at major final, having come from a set down to beat the Belarusian in the 2023 U.S. Open final. Gauff raised the winners' trophy aloft, then kissed it several times. She held her hand over her heart when the U.S. national anthem played. "This one is heavy," Gauff said. "It feels great to lift it." She is the first American woman to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015. It was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years. After Sabalenka sent a backhand wide on Gauff's second match point, the 21-year-old American fell onto her back, covering her face with both hands as she started to sob, then got up and held her hand over her mouth. She continued to sob as she patted the clay with her left hand. Gauff greeted Sabalenka at the net with a warm hug and thanking the umpire, Gauff screamed out with joy and relief, then got to her knees and crouched forward, continuing to cry as she savored the win. She hugged later film director Spike Lee and celebrated with her entourage in her box before thanking the fans. "You guys were cheering for me so hard," she said. "I don't know what I did to deserve so much love from the French crowd." One thing Gauff could not manage -- yet -- was a victory speech in French. "I completely tanked on that," she said, adding that she will try in the future. "I don't think I could do a whole speech but maybe a good something to say to the French crowd." Sabalenka praised Gauff for being a "fighter" and said she deserved the win, but added that the windy conditions made for an error-strewn contest. "This will hurt so much," Sabalenka said. "Coco, congrats, in the tough conditions you were a better player than me." Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set. She made 70 altogether in the match, compared to 30 overall for Gauff. Sabalenka was often frustrated, remonstrating and shouting at herself and frequently turning around to look at her team with an exasperated look on her face. She put her head on her hands a couple of times, and at one point raised her shoulders as if to say "What's going on?" Gauff said she paid no attention, knowing full well that Sabalenka could find her best game at any moment. The first set looked to be heading Gauff's way when she led 3-0 in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka steadied herself and clinched it with a forehand volley at the net. Gauff leveled the match with a smash at the net. But Sabalenka stuck to her high-risk approach in the deciding set. One superb rally in the third game drew loud cheers. After an intense exchange of drop shots, Gauff hit a lob that Sabalenka chased down before attempting a shot between her legs -- only for Gauff to intercept it at the net. It was a rare highlight on a day when swirling wind troubled both players with the roof open. "It was tough to plant your feet, the ball was moving so much," Gauff said. "It was not a day for great tennis, honestly."

Sovereignty Beats Journalism to Win the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga
Sovereignty Beats Journalism to Win the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga

Yomiuri Shimbun

time8 hours ago

  • Yomiuri Shimbun

Sovereignty Beats Journalism to Win the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga

The Associated Press Sovereignty (2), with jockey Junior Alvarado up, crosses the finish line ahead of Journalism (7), with jockey Umberto Rispoli up, and Baeza (6), with jockey Flavien Prat up, to win the 157th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race, Saturday, June 7, 2025, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Sovereignty outran Journalism on Saturday in a Kentucky Derby rematch in the 157th Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, the race once again showcasing the best in horse racing. Like last year, it featured the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winners. However, unlike last year and for the first time since 2018, one of those two won to secure two of the three legs of the Triple Crown. 'I think they are three really good horses,' Sovereignty trainer Bill Mott said. 'I'm glad (Sovereignty) was able to come back and have a race like he did in the Derby.' It was the second Belmont win for Mott. He spends most of his summer tending to his horses at Saratoga, so winning the Belmont at Saratoga was extra special. 'This is home,' Mott said. 'It's the race we were pointing for after the Derby, and fortunately it worked out very well… The horse was good. Junior rode him well.' It was the second Belmont at Saratoga, with renovations being made to its usual home at Belmont Park on Long Island. Rodriguez, who made his Triple Crown debut, burst out and led the field of eight in the 1 1/4- mile race until the top of the stretch when Journalism made a surge. Followed closely behind was Sovereignty, with jockey Junior Alverado aboard. He caught Journalism almost instantly and ran away with it. The 5-2 second favorite finished in 2:00.69, beating Preakness winner Journalism by three lengths. 'He broke very well again today like he's been doing,' Alverado said. 'He put himself in a good spot. I was a little shocked how close, but at the same time, I'm happy with how easily he was doing everything. As a jockey, I was very happy where he was.' Journalism ended up in second again, and Baeza was third — the same 1-2-3 as the Kentucky Derby. Journalism, the only horse to run in all three legs, entered the gate at the Belmont as the 2-1 favorite, with Baeza the third favorite at 7-2. Sovereignty paid $7 to win, $3.20 to place and $2.30 to show. Journalism returned $3.20 and $2.30, and Baeza paid $2.60. Sovereignty led off the first leg of the Triple Crown by winning the Derby in early May. The colt also edged Journalism in that race. After the Derby win, the Godolphin-owned 3-year-old opted out of the Preakness to focus on the Belmont, forfeiting a shot at history to win the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown hasn't been won since 2018, when Bob Baffert's Justify won the 105th Belmont Stakes to secure the third jewel. Despite winning both legs of the Triple Crown that Sovereignty entered, Mott and Godolphin's Michael Banahan didn't regret not running him in the Preakness Stakes. 'I think if you leave the races out of it, it's what was the right thing to do for the horse,' Banahan said. 'That's what we talked about — what was the right thing for the horse to do going forward?' One of the reasons Mott and Godolphin skipped the Preakness was that they didn't want to exhaust the horse and wanted a long future for the three-year-old. There are a couple of stakes races later in the summer for three-year-olds, but the main one is at the end of the year, the Travers Stakes. The Travers, at the end of the Saratoga meet, could be another loaded field and potentially another rematch between Journalism and Sovereignty. 'I'd love to come back and take a crack at the Travers in August,' Mott said. 'It's a race I've never won, but I think it's a very important race for a three-year-old like Sovereignty. I think if he's healthy, everybody would probably be in agreement that's the race we would point to.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store