Djokovic wins 100th ATP title at Geneva Open
Geneva, May 24 (UNI) Novak Djokovic won his 100th ATP title on Saturday after beating Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) in the Geneva Open final.
The victory was also the first for the world No. 6 after winning the gold medal at last summer's Paris Olympics, boosting the 38-year-old Serbian's confidence ahead of the French Open, which begins on Sunday.
Djokovic became the third man in the Open Era to win 100 titles behind Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Competing as a wildcard, Djokovic was broken once in the first set and found himself down to his Polish opponent.
He fought back in the second set and won the tiebreak to level the game, and continued his momentum for another tiebreak win for the title.
Saturday's victory was a great payback for Djokovic's failed efforts in the finals in Shanghai and Miami, and the men's Grand Slam record champion is ready for his first-round match against American Mackenzie McDonald in Paris early next week. UNI XINHUA AKT SSP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
12 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Gen-Next in focus: Kriish Tyagi steps into the big league
Kriish Tyagi, India's top-ranked junior player, is No. 44 on the ITF World Junior Tennis Tour and has seven singles titles to his name. But having turned 18 in April, he is now in his final year competing as a junior. The young player from Sarjapur, Bengaluru, now finds himself at a defining crossroads — where the river of junior tennis meets the vast, uncharted ocean of the senior circuit. While a strong finish in his final showing at the Junior Grand Slams remains important, Kriish isn't afraid to make sacrifices for the bigger picture — which is why, after completing his Class 12 exams last month and facing limited clay-court training options in India, he and coach Harsha Lingappa chose to skip the French Open this year. 'The quality of clay courts in Europe is something you don't get in India. I don't feel my game is ready for that kind of clay. It's just tough to get a hang of it when you go for tournaments,' Kriish told Sportstar. He is, however, looking forward to Wimbledon and the US Open. 'Playing on grass courts is mainly about hand skills, slices, volleys and serves, and I feel I'm good at that. As far as the US Open is concerned, I've won all my titles on hard courts. So, I'm confident about that surface,' said Kriish. Looking to build his ATP ranking, Kriish has also been adding more Futures events to his calendar — a move that's already showing results. He reached the semifinals as a qualifier at a $30,000 tournament in Ahmedabad and followed it up with another semifinal finish at a $15,000 event in Tashkent. Once a swimming enthusiast, Kriish took up tennis at the age of 10 during his after-school lessons. Sapna, Kriish's mother, has been a huge pillar of strength for him as his father, Ajay, works in the port sector in Jeddah, while his elder brother, Akash, is employed at Procter & Gamble in Pennsylvania. When a young Kriish, inspired after watching a match between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on TV, told his mother about his desire to give tennis a try, she didn't discourage him despite knowing well the tough road ahead for Indian tennis players. 'I just told him to be prepared and work very hard — don't worry about the results. You have to be ready for all the ups and downs,' recalled Sapna. While other top Indian juniors, such as Manas Dhamne and Maaya Rajeshwaran Revathi, went abroad to train, Kriish chose to stay in India, joining the Harsha Lingappa Tennis Academy in Bengaluru in 2021. 'I saw Kriish for the first time in 2021 at an ITF tournament in Nepal,' said coach Harsha. 'He was a very gritty player. He wanted to win the match but didn't know how to do it — strategy or technique-wise. It was easy for me to train this kid because he gave his 100 per cent on the court. We worked completely on his serve, his forehand, added a bit of strategy, and created a weapon out of it.' A few months before appearing for his Class 12 exams via the National Institute of Open Schooling, Kriish received an offer from a US college to play on the NCAA circuit — a path many young tennis players around the world have taken. However, whether he takes that route will depend on how the coming months unfold. 'At the moment, I'm signed up with Texas A&M University, but I feel if I do something big — like maybe get into a Grand Slam or perform really well at the men's level — I'm going to take a one-year break, train more, and try to see if I can go further up before rushing to college,' said Kriish. STATFILE ITF Juniors Ranking 46 (as of June 3, 2025) ATP Ranking 1166 ITF Juniors Titles 7 Junior Grand Slam Appearances Australian Open (2023–2025) Coach Harsha Lingappa Sponsors IndianOil and Yonex Favourite Players Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka
India Gazette
33 minutes ago
- India Gazette
India's first-ever professional basketball league announced in association with BFI
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 7 (ANI): India's first-ever professional basketball league has been launched, with the competition set to feature structured competitive league in 5x5 and 3x3 formats for both men and women, establishing a comprehensive professional ecosystem that opens the door for athletes across the country to pursue basketball as a viable career. This league, launched on Friday, is a collaboration between the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and ACG Sports Private Limited. Designed to redefine how the sport is played, experienced, and supported in India, the league aims to shift basketball from a niche discipline into a mainstream pursuit. To guide the league's global strategy and operations, Jeremy Loeliger, Former CEO and Commissioner of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), has been appointed Director of ACG Sports. In his new role, Loeliger will lead the development of the league's blueprint, bringing international standards of governance, competition, and commercial innovation to the Indian shores, as per a press release from BFI and ACG. 'Basketball represents more than just a sport - it is a vehicle for building character, leadership, and opportunity,' said Karan Singh, Managing Director of ACG. He further added, 'Our vision for this professional basketball league is to establish a self-sustaining ecosystem where every child with passion and talent can see a viable future in basketball in India. We are grateful for the partnership with BFI in making this dream a reality. While this is a commendable first step, we know that building a thriving basketball ecosystem will require sustained effort and collective support to reach its full potential.' As part of its long-term strategy, ACG will launch India's first fully residential high-performance centre within the year. The academy will feature world-class facilities, attract top coaching talent from the U.S. and Australia, and offer comprehensive training programmes for players, coaches, and referees. Nutrition, mental wellness, and academic balance will be integral to the curriculum - ensuring holistic development of future stars. Aadhav Arjuna, President of the Basketball Federation of India, stated: 'This partnership with ACG is unlike anything we've seen before. It is driven by vision, structured for long-term impact, and rooted in a clear understanding of what Indian basketball truly needs. We're building not just visibility, but real momentum and global credibility. Our vision is to win medals at the Asian Games and Olympics' Kulvinder Singh Gill, Secretary General of the Basketball Federation of India, stated: 'This league will unlock new opportunities for young Indian talent to grow, compete professionally, and gain invaluable exposure alongside international players and coaches.' The complete league framework, including team structures, competition formats, player eligibility, and governance models, is currently in development with input from global basketball experts and key industry stakeholders. Detailed announcements on participation guidelines, venue requirements, and operational protocols will follow in a phased rollout. In the coming months, the newly formed League Council will begin overseeing standards and operations, while nationwide scouting initiatives, customised athlete development tracks, and dynamic fan engagement programs will begin laying the foundation for a vibrant, inclusive, and commercially sustainable basketball culture in India. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
French Open: Sinner denies Djokovic 25th Grand Slam win with semi-final victory, faces Alcaraz for title
World number one Sinner held off a record-chasing Djokovic with an impressive 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) win on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach his maiden Roland Garros final, where he faces defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. read more World No 1 Jannik Sinner shakes Novak Djokovic's hand after defeating the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the semi-finals of the French Open on Friday, 6 June. AP Jannik Sinner battled past Novak Djokovic in a gripping French Open semi-final on Friday to book a first Grand Slam final meeting with reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz after the Spaniard saw off Lorenzo Musetti. World number one Sinner held off a record-chasing Djokovic with an impressive 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) win on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach his maiden Roland Garros final. 'He is the best player in the history of our sport, playing against him here is amazing,' said the 23-year-old Sinner. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Of course I try to not think about this but before coming on court you feel the tension.' Djokovic showed his trademark fighting qualities in a dramatic contest that lasted three hours and 16 minutes, but three missed set points late in the third set ultimately put paid to his hopes of a comeback. The 38-year-old will next attempt to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon next month. 'Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favourite tournament,' said the world number six. 'I'm going to do everything possible to get myself ready. I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon, to win another Slam, or faster hard court, maybe Australia or something like that.' Alcaraz earlier booked his place in Sunday's final when opponent Musetti retired with a leg injury in the fourth set of their last-four tie. Sinner, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, will be hoping to gain revenge on Alcaraz after losing to the Spaniard in five sets in the semi-finals last year. Alcaraz has won his last four matches against Sinner, including in the Italian Open final in May when Sinner returned from a three-month doping ban. 'Sunday is going to be very difficult, I know my head-to-head lately doesn't look great against Carlos but let's see what I can do,' added Sinner. Djokovic's exit ensures that a sixth successive major title will be lifted by either Sinner or world number two Alcaraz, in what appears increasingly likely to be a permanent changing of the guard. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know,' said Djokovic. 'I don't know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I'm going to keep on keeping on.' Sunday will see the first Grand Slam final to be played between two men born in the 2000s. Neither Sinner or Alcaraz have ever lost a major final. It is also the first Grand Slam tournament in which the top two seeds will contest both the men's and women's finals since the 2013 US Open, with Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff set to face off for the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen on Saturday. Djokovic had his chances, but Sinner consistently proved too strong in the key moments, including when breaking immediately after failing to serve out the second set. The Italian hit 44 winners in total over the gruelling three sets, showing excellent resilience to stave off three set points in the 10th game of the third. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Musetti retires injured Earlier, world number two Alcaraz was leading 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0, 2-0 under the Court Philippe Chatrier roof when Italian Musetti called it quits due to a thigh injury. 'It's never great to go through or win a match when it's like this,' said the 22-year-old. 'He's done an incredible clay season. I wish him all the best, a quick recovery and that he'll be back soon.' Alcaraz will aim to win his fifth Grand Slam title in two days' time. 'It's been three intense weeks and now I have one step to make,' he said. 'I'll give everything on Sunday, I've been playing great tennis this tournament.' Musetti saved break points in the first and seventh games before grabbing a one-set lead with a break in the 10th game. The Spaniard raced through a second-set breaker, though, taking his third set point when Musetti fired an attempted passing shot into the net. Musetti could not deal with the power coming from the other side of the net in the third set and briefly received treatment on his left thigh. Alcaraz went on to romp through the set, in which eighth seed Musetti mustered only five points, in just 22 minutes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Musetti surrendered another break early in the fourth set as Alcaraz thumped a forehand return into the corner, and the 23-year-old immediately headed to the net to shake his opponent's hand.
