Djokovic steps closer to 100th title, sets Hurkacz final in Geneva

Novak Djokovic moved to within one victory of clinching his 100th tour-level title on Friday at the Gonet Geneva Open, where he moved past qualifier Cameron Norrie for a spot in the final.

The former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings shook off a mid-match dip to prevail 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-1 and keep alive his quest at the clay-court ATP 250. Djokovic let slip a match point in the second-set tie-break, but responded with a watertight decider to reach his 35th tour-level final on the surface.

“It was the toughest match of the tournament for me so far, three sets,” said Djokovic. “[In] the second set, he was a break up and I managed to come back to the tie-break, [I had] a match point, I got a little bit tight there. But I’m really glad how I regrouped in the third and played the best set of the tournament.”

After falling to opening-round defeats to Alejandro Tabilo and Matteo Arnaldi in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, respectively, Djokovic has dismissed doubts over his current clay-court prowess with a strong showing in Geneva so far. While he dropped his first set of the week against Norrie, Djokovic has displayed typically pure ballstriking and impressive tactical nous to outlast his opponents from the baseline.

Djokovic has twice come within touching distance of joining Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only men in the Open Era to capture 100 or more trophies. He fell to Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai final last year and was stunned by #NextGenATP Czech Jakub Mensik in the championship match in Miami in March.

In Saturday’s championship match in Geneva, Djokovic will have another shot at hitting the century mark when he takes on sixth seed Hubert Hurkacz, whom he owns a 7-0 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.

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After producing an assured opening set, during which he hit just two unforced errors, Djokovic struck 19 in the second. Norrie, the World No. 90, raised his level and caused havoc with his heavy topspin forehands and devastatingly flat backhands.

Yet, chasing his 143rd tour-level final, Djokovic maintained his composure and refound the level he has delivered throughout the tournament. He won 12 of the first 13 points to begin the final set, and didn’t look back en route to his two-hour, 15-minute victory.

Earlier, Hurkacz dismantled qualifier Sebastian Ofner with a supreme serving performance to prevail 6-3, 6-4. The Pole won 88 per cent (29/33) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and fired seven aces en route to reaching his 12th ATP Tour final.

“I’m definitely really pleased with my performance,” Hurkacz said. “Sebastian had a really great week here coming from qualifying, beating so many great players. I knew it was going to be a difficult challenge.

“Fortunately I was able to get a break of serve early in both sets, and that definitely set the tone for the rest of the match. Especially as I was serving quite good and playing well from the baseline.”

Hurkacz is yet to drop a set in Geneva, including a statement victory over top seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals. The 28-year-old triumphed at the last clay ATP 250 event he played in Estoril last year, his lone title on the surface.