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Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Novak Djokovic becomes third man ever to win 100 ATP titles with victory over Hubert Hurkacz
Novak Djokovic became just the third man in the Open era to win 100 ATP singles titles on Saturday, defeating Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2) in the final of the Geneva Open. The 24-time grand slam winner joins Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only men to have achieved the feat. Advertisement 'I want to thank my wife and my kids for coming for three days only on the school break, cutting the school for one day, just to be with me,' Djokovic said in his on court interview. 'My team, the only thing I can say is thank you for being with me in the good times but also in the bad times. Today was very challenging to stay with me on the court because I was going off at you quite a lot … so I want to thank you for staying here and earning with me this victory number 100.' Since claiming his 99th title when he won the gold medal in the men's singles at the 2024 Olympics in Paris eight months ago, Djokovic has endured a difficult run of form. He has particularly struggled on clay, recently exiting the Monte-Carlo Masters and Madrid Open in his first match of each tournament. Djokovic became just the third man ever to win 100 ATP titles. - Valentin Flauraud/AFP/Getty Images And for much of Saturday's match, it seemed as if the milestone would elude the Serb once again. Advertisement At 2-2 in the first set, he was unable to capitalize on two break points and that came back to haunt him when Hurkacz took the set thanks to a double fault from Djokovic in the 12th game. But as the match progressed, Djokovic – who turned 38 on Thursday – showed the kind of resolute determination which appeared to have deserted him of late, breaking Hurkacz four times in a tiebreak after each player had held serve throughout the second set. Having been broken by Hurkacz in the first game of the third set, it looked for a long time as though the win was slipping away from Djokovic again. But his quality came to the fore again, and he broke back to make it 4-4 before winning another tiebreak. 'I know it's a bitter taste in the mouth to lose the match like this,' Djokovic told Hurkacz in his on-court interview afterward. 'I think that you were definitely for most of the match, the better player.' Advertisement The victory means that, remarkably, the Serbian's 100th title comes against a player coached by Nicolas Massú, the Chilean former world No. 9 whom Djokovic beat to win his very first ATP title in 2006. Djokovic will now turn his attention to the French Open, where he will be aiming to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam. He faces American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round, which begins on Sunday. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at
Malay Mail
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Novak Djokovic becomes third man to win 100 ATP titles with Geneva victory
GENEVA, May 25 — Novak Djokovic became just the third man to win 100 ATP titles with a typically dramatic comeback victory over Hubert Hurkacz in the final of the Geneva Open on Saturday. The 38-year-old, playing in Switzerland in a bid to find form ahead of the French Open, recovered from losing the first set to clinch a 5-7, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/2) win after three hours and five minutes on court. Djokovic joins Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer as the only players with a century of tour titles. 'I had to work for it, that's for sure. He was probably closer to the victory the entire match than me,' said Djokovic, who is the first man to win titles in 20 consecutive years. 'I was just trying to hang in there... this is what happens at this level. A few points decide it, an incredible match... and I'm delighted to clinch the 100 here.' It was the former world number one's first tournament triumph since clinching his maiden Olympic gold medal against Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Games last summer. Djokovic had lost both of his previous matches on clay this season prior to the Geneva tournament, against Alejandro Tabilo and Matteo Arnaldi at the Monte Carlo and Madrid Masters respectively. But he decided to play at the low-key clay-court event in a bid to find form ahead of the start of the year's second Grand Slam event on Sunday at Roland Garros, where the Serb will be targeting a record-breaking 25th major singles trophy. It was Djokovic's first tournament since splitting from coach and old rival Andy Murray, but he showed no ill-effects. Poland's former world number six Hurkacz, now ranked 31st, is still waiting for his first title since April 2024. 'It's really inspiring how you conduct yourself on and off the court,' Hurkacz said to Djokovic. The three-time Roland Garros champion starts his French Open campaign against American Mackenzie McDonald on either Monday or Tuesday. Hurkacz's strong start After a tight start, Djokovic saw two break points come and go in the fifth game as Hurkacz battled to keep the first set on serve. The opener appeared to be meandering towards a tie-break until Djokovic cracked in game 12, following a loose forehand at deuce with a double-fault on set point to give Hurkacz a one-set advantage. Hurkacz dug deep to secure a hard-fought hold to kick off the second set, staving off another break point. The second set followed a similar pattern to the first, but this time Djokovic was able to hold at 6-5 down to force a tie-break with an ace. The Serb found his groove in the breaker, reeling off four straight points to send the match into a deciding set. But Djokovic immediately gave up his serve in the first game of the third set, serving a double-fault when 40-30 up and then blasting a backhand long on break point. Hurkacz then reeled off three successive holds to love to edge towards the title, only to crumble in the eighth game of the decider with two unforced errors and a double-fault to gift Djokovic a way back into the final. The Pole gathered himself to secure a deciding tie-break in a tense 12th game. But he crumbled at the crucial moments with back-to-back errors from 3-2 behind in the breaker, leaving Djokovic to reach yet another milestone in his illustrious career with an ace. — AFP
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
From winning iPods to Grand Slams - Djokovic's 100 titles
Novak Djokovic continues to reach landmarks most players could only dream about. On Saturday, the 38-year-old Serb claimed the 100th title of his stellar career after beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz to win the Geneva Open. Djokovic is only the third man - after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) - to clock up the century in the Open era. To mark his achievement, BBC Sport delves deeper into the stories and numbers behind Djokovic's ton of trophies. Djokovic makes more history with 100th singles title Post-Nadal era begins at French Open - men's preview In July 2006, there was little fanfare - outside of his native Serbia, at least - when a 19-year-old Djokovic landed his first ATP title. A clay-court event in the Dutch city of Amersfoort was an understated setting for what became a launchpad towards greatness. Djokovic, who was ranked 36th in the world at the time, overcame reigning Olympic champion Nicolas Massu in the final, with the Chilean noting the "spectacular potential" of his teenage opponent. The new champion celebrated with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a silver-plated iPod in the other. The events quickly got bigger - as did the prizes. In April 2007, Djokovic won his first ATP Masters title by beating Argentina's Guillermo Canas in Miami and landed his first major with victory over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2008 Australian Open final. While he did not win another major for three years, the steady stream of titles continued. Then came 2011 - a season where Djokovic, backed by a more potent serve and greater endurance, took his game to greater heights. Fuelled by a new gluten-free diet which he credits for transforming his career, he won his first 40 matches of the year and collected seven titles as a result. The most successful year of his career ended with 10 trophies, including three of the four majors. Djokovic makes more history with 100th singles title Post-Nadal era begins at French Open - men's preview French Open - schedule, draw and how to follow For years, debate raged over who was the greatest men's player of all time. Djokovic has all but ended the argument - if it is based solely on numbers, at least - by moving clear of his rivals in the key metrics. No man has won as many Grand Slam titles as Djokovic (24) Nobody has earned as many Grand Slam singles wins (382) Nobody has won as many ATP Masters titles (40) Nobody has spent as many weeks at the top of the ATP rankings (428) Djokovic is the only player to have won all nine Masters events - earning him what is known as a career Golden Masters. In fact, he has achieved that feat twice. One piece of the jigsaw had been missing, which is why title number 99 was so special. Winning Olympic gold, though, eluded Djokovic at Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. There had been tears and tantrums as the mental energy spent poured out during his defeats. At Paris 2024 he also sobbed on the court - this time because he finally landed the title he craved. Djokovic is one of only five singles players to achieve the career 'Golden Slam'. "Being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport," he said. Home is where the heart is for a proud Serb like Djokovic. There is one place, though, which he has regularly described as his "second home": Melbourne. Or, more specifically, Rod Laver Arena. Djokovic has won the Australian Open there on a record 10 occasions, making it the most successful tournament of his career. The events which he has won the most are: Australian Open (10) Wimbledon, Paris Masters, ATP Finals (7) Miami, Rome, Dubai, Beijing (6) Djokovic's all-court prowess is reflected by the fact there are events played on three different surfaces in this list - Wimbledon grass, Rome clay and hard courts everywhere else. Hard courts are where he has enjoyed the most success, helped by the majority of the ATP season being played on it. When Djokovic lost to Federer in his first Grand Slam final at the 2007 US Open final, the Swiss superstar predicted they would have "many more battles". Ultimately, they went on to build an engrossing rivalry - with Djokovic going on to win 13 titles by beating Federer in trophy matches. He also won the 2014 ATP Finals after the Swiss withdrew before the final with a back injury. However, it is Rafael Nadal who Djokovic has beaten more times in finals than anybody else. The 'Big Three', as they became known, were the dominant players of the late 2000s and 2010s, with only Andy Murray breaking their 16-year stranglehold on the world number one ranking between 2004 and 2020. It is unsurprising that Nadal, Federer and Murray account for 40 of the men beaten by Djokovic in his 100 triumphant finals. The Serb has faced 37 other opponents across the remaining 60 matches. Argentine Canas, born in 1977 and turning 48 later this year, is the oldest player he has beaten. Carlos Alcaraz - a 22-year-old who is nearer in age to Djokovic's 10-year-old son Stefan - is the youngest. Massu, beaten by Djokovic at the very start in Amersfoort, was also present for the Serb's landmark success, with the 45-year-old Chilean now coaching Hurkacz. Clinching the century is the clear highlight of a difficult 2025 season. A hamstring injury in the semi-final curbed his Australian Open ambitions before a struggle for form led to the end of his coaching partnership with Briton Murray. In Geneva, he insisted the motivation is "still there". Standing alone with 25 Grand Slam titles, taking sole ownership of the record he holds jointly with Australia's Margaret Court, is the biggest target left for Djokovic. Overtaking Federer and Connors in terms of ATP titles might be another ambition. "I think I've achieved all of my biggest goals in career," Djokovic said at the Australian Open in January. "Right now it's really about Slams and seeing how far I can push the bar for myself. "I think I can go toe-to-toe with the big guys. As long as that's the case, I guess I'll still feel the need to keep on competing." Live scores, results and order of play Get tennis news sent straight to your phone
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
From winning iPods to Grand Slams - Djokovic's 100 titles
Novak Djokovic continues to reach landmarks most players could only dream Saturday, the 38-year-old Serb claimed the 100th title of his stellar career after beating Poland's Hubert Hurkacz to win the Geneva is only the third man - after Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) - to clock up the century in the Open mark his achievement, BBC Sport delves deeper into the stories and numbers behind Djokovic's ton of trophies. The journey from one to 100 In July 2006, there was little fanfare - outside of his native Serbia, at least - when a 19-year-old Djokovic landed his first ATP title.A clay-court event in the Dutch city of Amersfoort was an understated setting for what became a launchpad towards who was ranked 36th in the world at the time, overcame reigning Olympic champion Nicolas Massu in the final, with the Chilean noting the "spectacular potential" of his teenage new champion celebrated with a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a silver-plated iPod in the events quickly got bigger - as did the prizes. In April 2007, Djokovic won his first ATP Masters title by beating Argentina's Guillermo Canas in Miami and landed his first major with victory over France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the 2008 Australian Open he did not win another major for three years, the steady stream of titles came 2011 - a season where Djokovic, backed by a more potent serve and greater endurance, took his game to greater by a new gluten-free diet which he credits for transforming his career, he won his first 40 matches of the year and collected seven titles as a result. The most successful year of his career ended with 10 trophies, including three of the four majors. How Serb has become the greatest For years, debate raged over who was the greatest men's player of all has all but ended the argument - if it is based solely on numbers, at least - by moving clear of his rivals in the key man has won as many Grand Slam titles as Djokovic (24)Nobody has earned as many Grand Slam singles wins (382)Nobody has won as many ATP Masters titles (40)Nobody has spent as many weeks at the top of the ATP rankings (428)Djokovic is the only player to have won all nine Masters events - earning him what is known as a career Golden Masters. In fact, he has achieved that feat twice. One piece of the jigsaw had been missing, which is why title number 99 was so Olympic gold, though, eluded Djokovic at Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo had been tears and tantrums as the mental energy spent poured out during his defeats. At Paris 2024 he also sobbed on the court - this time because he finally landed the title he is one of only five singles players to achieve the career 'Golden Slam'."Being on that court with the Serbian flag raising, singing the anthem, with the gold around my neck, I think nothing can beat that in terms of professional sport," he said. Where has Djokovic won the most? Home is where the heart is for a proud Serb like is one place, though, which he has regularly described as his "second home": Melbourne. Or, more specifically, Rod Laver has won the Australian Open there on a record 10 occasions, making it the most successful tournament of his events which he has won the most are: Australian Open (10)Wimbledon, Paris Masters, ATP Finals (7)Miami, Rome, Dubai, Beijing (6)Djokovic's all-court prowess is reflected by the fact there are events played on three different surfaces in this list - Wimbledon grass, Rome clay and hard courts everywhere courts are where he has enjoyed the most success, helped by the majority of the ATP season being played on it. Who has he beaten in finals? When Djokovic lost to Federer in his first Grand Slam final at the 2007 US Open final, the Swiss superstar predicted they would have "many more battles".Ultimately, they went on to build an engrossing rivalry - with Djokovic going on to win 13 titles by beating Federer in trophy matches. He also won the 2014 ATP Finals after the Swiss withdrew before the final with a back it is Rafael Nadal who Djokovic has beaten more times in finals than anybody else. The 'Big Three', as they became known, were the dominant players of the late 2000s and 2010s, with only Andy Murray breaking their 16-year stranglehold on the world number one ranking between 2004 and is unsurprising that Nadal, Federer and Murray account for 40 of the men beaten by Djokovic in his 100 triumphant Serb has faced 37 other opponents across the remaining 60 matches. Argentine Canas, born in 1977 and turning 48 later this year, is the oldest player he has Alcaraz - a 22-year-old who is nearer in age to Djokovic's 10-year-old son Stefan - is the beaten by Djokovic at the very start in Amersfoort, was also present for the Serb's landmark success, with the 45-year-old Chilean now coaching Hurkacz. What does he have left to achieve? Clinching the century is the clear highlight of a difficult 2025 season.A hamstring injury in the semi-final curbed his Australian Open ambitions before a struggle for form led to the end of his coaching partnership with Briton Geneva, he insisted the motivation is "still there".Standing alone with 25 Grand Slam titles, taking sole ownership of the record he holds jointly with Australia's Margaret Court, is the biggest target left for Federer and Connors in terms of ATP titles might be another ambition."I think I've achieved all of my biggest goals in career," Djokovic said at the Australian Open in January."Right now it's really about Slams and seeing how far I can push the bar for myself."I think I can go toe-to-toe with the big guys. As long as that's the case, I guess I'll still feel the need to keep on competing."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Novak Djokovic wins 100th singles title at Geneva Open after beating Hubert Hurkacz
Novak Djokovic notched his 100th career singles title after beating Hubert Hurkacz, 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2), to win the Geneva Open on Saturday. The three-hour back-and-forth came two days after the Serbian star's 38th birthday. He also achieved the incredible feat in front of his family and relatives. "I'm just grateful to clinch the 100 here," Djokovic said. "I had to work for it, that is for sure." Hurkacz kept the game close before missing three forehands and allowing Djokovic match points. Djokovic then hit an ace to cement the win and his 100th title. After an emotional celebration, Djokovic praised his opponent and addressed how tough the match was. "Hubert was probably closer to the victory the entire match than I was," Djokovic said. 'I was just trying to hang in there. "I don't know how he broke his serve, he probably broke himself when he was 4-3 up. But this is what happens at this level, the highest level." His victory placed Djokovic among fellow tennis legends Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer, who have 109 and 103 singles titles, respectively. The trio are the only players with at least 100 singles titles in the Open era. The feat did not come easy, as Djokovic lost his last two finals appearances since winning his 99th title at the Paris Olympics. Djokovic, who won his first title in 2006, is now the first Open-era player to win titles in 20 different seasons. With the French Open set to begin this weekend, Djokovic will aim for his 25th Grand Slam title. He opens play against American Mackenzie McDonald on Monday.
