Novak Djokovic Wins His 100th Title—and It Was Anything But Easy
By the time Novak Djokovic dropped to his knees on the red clay of Geneva, the moment wasn’t just about another trophy—it was a full-circle chapter in one of tennis’s greatest stories.
He had done it. Title No. 100. Finally.
And just like the 99 before it, this one wasn’t handed to him. He had to earn it. Every sweaty, exhausting, nerve-wracking point of it.
A Battle, Not a Breeze
Djokovic beat Hubert Hurkacz in a nail-biter: 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2). Three hours of grueling rallies, held breaths, and a match that teetered on a knife’s edge. If you watched it, you saw a 38-year-old man play like his legacy was still being written—which, of course, it is.
Two tiebreaks. Two chances for Hurkacz to close the door. But Djokovic isn’t the kind of player who gets rattled. He doesn’t go quietly.
“I had to work for it, that is for sure,” he said afterward with a grin that was part relief, part disbelief.
Yeah, no kidding.
The Weight of 100
For months, that milestone hung in the air like unfinished business. Djokovic had picked up title No. 99 at the Paris Olympics last summer—his first Olympic gold. But since then? Two finals, two losses. First to Jannik Sinner in Shanghai. Then to 18-year-old Jakub Mensik in Miami. It was starting to feel like No. 100 might be cursed.
That all changed in Geneva.
It was poetic, in a way. Djokovic wasn’t in Paris or London or Melbourne. He was in Switzerland, surrounded by family, on the kind of quiet court that doesn’t usually host history. His relatives—some of whom live in Geneva—were in the stands. His wife, his kids. The whole crew.
That made it sweeter.
“It just means more with them here,” he said, eyes softening. “It felt personal.”
Hurkacz Brought the Heat
This wasn’t a walkover. Hubert Hurkacz, known for his calm demeanor and explosive serve, wasn’t intimidated. He took the first set, pushing Djokovic around with heavy groundstrokes and laser-precise shots.
For much of the match, it looked like Hurkacz might crash the party. He was up a break in the third. Djokovic hadn’t broken him once all day. And yet—somehow—the Serbian star found a way.
That way came at 4-3 in the final set. Hurkacz sliced a tricky half-volley. Djokovic pounced, sprinted forward, and fired a cross-court forehand past him for break point. The crowd roared. Hurkacz blinked. That was the moment.
That was Novak Djokovic.
A couple of games later, Djokovic closed it out with a clean ace down the T.
No fist-pump. No chest-beating. Just a man dropping to the clay, quietly taking in the magnitude of what he had done.
From 1 to 100
Let’s take a second and go back.
Djokovic won his first ATP title in July 2006 in Amersfoort, Netherlands. He was 19. He beat Nicolás Massú—who, in a strange twist, now coaches Hurkacz.
Back then, Djokovic was just a wiry kid from Serbia with a funny serve and a relentless spirit. The Big Three hadn’t happened yet. Federer ruled the world. Nadal was the King of Clay. Djokovic was still carving his identity.
Nineteen years later, here we are.
100 titles. 24 Grand Slams. Over 400 weeks at world No. 1. And now, the only man in the Open Era to win titles in 20 different seasons.
Just let that sink in.
Source: Novak Djokovic wins Geneva Open to earn 100th singles title
It’s Not Over Yet
You’d think a guy with 100 titles might be thinking about what’s next after tennis. But Djokovic? He’s still locked in. His next stop? Roland-Garros, where he’s won three times. His first-round opponent? Mackenzie McDonald of the U.S.
He’s not done.
“I feel like I’m still growing, still learning,” he said. “I want to see how far I can go.”
That hunger—that refusal to be satisfied—is why he’s still here. Still dangerous. Still adding to his legacy.
He’s also talked about competing in the 2028 Olympics. That would make him 41. And you know what? It’s hard to doubt him. He’s already outlasted two generations of challengers. Why not go for three?
Why Geneva Mattered
It would’ve been easy to dismiss the Geneva Open. A warm-up tournament. A smaller venue. No big headlines. But for Djokovic, it was a perfect place for something this special.
No chaos. No spotlight blinding him. Just a man with his family, his racket, and his 100th reason to believe in the life he’s chosen.
Geneva may not be Wimbledon. But on this Saturday afternoon in May, it was the center of the tennis universe.
And Novak Djokovic was, once again, king.
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