GENEVA (AP) — Novak Djokovic finally clinched his 100th career singles title by rallying to beat Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) in more than three hours to become the Geneva Open champion on Saturday.
Djokovic lost his two previous finals since his 99th title win nine months ago at the Paris Olympics at Roland-Garros.
The 100th was after a typically tough and hard-working match, two days after his 38th birthday and surrounded by his family in the Swiss city where some relatives reside.
“I’m just grateful to clinch the 100 here,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview. “I had to work for it, that is for sure.”
Djokovic joins tennis greats Jimmy Connors, who has a record 109 titles, and Roger Federer on 103 as the only men with a century of tournament wins in the Open era.
The three-time French Open champion heads back to Paris looking to add to his 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He has a French Open first-round match on Monday against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.
The Serb clinched with an ace down the middle to complete a surge to victory after breaking Hurkacz’s serve for the first time while trailing 4-3 in the deciding set. Djokovic took that break-point chance with a forehand cross-court winner advancing to the net on Hurkacz’s sliced half-volley.
“Hubert was probably closer to the victory the entire match than I was,” Djokovic said. "I don’t know how I broke his serve.”
He is the first man in the Open era to win a title in 20 different seasons.
Djokovic's 100th singles title came nearly 19 years after the first in July 2006. That also was on clay, at Amersfoort in the Netherlands, against Nicolás Massú — the Chilean who now coaches Hurkacz.
Since the Paris Olympics, Djokovic had lost finals at the Shanghai Masters to Jannik Sinner last year, and the Miami Masters to Jakob Mensik in March.
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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
