Was this the moment that cost Hurkacz victory against Djokovic in Geneva final?

With the scoreboard reading 7-5, 6-7(2), 4-3, Hubert Hurkacz stood at the baseline, just a few confident swings away from claiming his ninth ATP Tour title and his first of the season at the Gonet Geneva Open. Up until this pivotal moment, the towering Pole had been unshakeable on serve, not dropping a single point in the third set.

Across the net, Novak Djokovic, chasing his landmark 100th tour-level title, looked momentarily adrift. But tennis, as ever, hinges on the finest of margins.

In the blink of an eye, the momentum shifted. Hurkacz, serving to consolidate his lead, produced a disastrous game that opened the door for Djokovic — and the 38-year-old didn’t hesitate to walk through it.

The unravelling began in the opening point of the eighth game. Hurkacz forced Djokovic deep into the backhand corner and earned a short reply, an inviting forehand with the entire court at his mercy. Yet, he squandered his chance, firing into the net in what should have been a routine winner. The pressure mounted. A double fault followed, handing Djokovic a 0/30 cushion. Though Hurkacz briefly steadied to reach 15/30, he soon faltered again, sending a regulation forehand long and offering up two break points.

After saving the first, Hurkacz then charged forward at 4-3, 30/40 after a crisp cross-court backhand but failed to execute the finishing volley, leaving it short and central. Djokovic pounced, whipping a clinical passing shot past the Pole to break back at 4-all, his first lifeline in a set that seemed to be slipping away.

From there, Djokovic did what he has done countless times before: he seized control. With the crowd buzzing and history beckoning, he edged out Hurkacz in a dramatic third-set tie-break, clinching his 100th tour-level title and adding another remarkable chapter to his storied career.