Djokovic's historic 100

Novak Djokovic finally claimed his 100th singles title yesterday by beating Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (2) and 7-6 (2) to become the Geneva Open champion.

Djokovic has lost his previous two finals since his 99th victory nine months ago at the Paris Olympics.

The three-time French Open champion returns 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 U.S.

Djokovic joins tennis legends Jimmy Connors, who has a record 109 titles, and Roger Federer with 103, as the only men with 100 tournament wins in the Open era.

His 100th match came two days after his 38th birthday, surrounded by his family in the Swiss city where some relatives reside.

“I'm grateful to have reached 100 here,” Djokovic said in an on-court interview. “I had to work for it, that's for sure.”

His wife and children joined him in Geneva to celebrate his birthday after taking a day off from school, Djokovic joked, also revealing another reason why he earned a late wildcard entry into the final clay-court warm-up for the French Open.

The lakeside town is home to a beloved aunt and uncle, and cousins, including one who recently gave birth to a baby the Djokovics really wanted to meet.

Djokovic's 100th title came almost 19 years after his first, in July 2006. That was also on clay, in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, against Nicolás Massú, the Chilean who now coaches Hurkacz.

“It’s truly inspiring how you present yourself on the court and off the court. It’s truly incredible what you’ve accomplished,” Hurkacz told the winner at the on-court trophy presentation.

Djokovic collected his trophy in front of three golden balloons attached to the court, the score at 1-0-0. Since the Paris Olympics, he had lost the finals of the Shanghai Masters to Jannik Sinner last year and the Miami Masters to Jakob Mensik in March.

Take advantage

The Serbian star achieved much more than the training he came to Geneva for.

She had lost in April in the previous tournaments she participated in during the European clay-court season, in Monte Carlo and Madrid.

Djokovic had break point opportunities early in the first two sets and failed to capitalize. At 2-2 in the first set, Hurkacz saved the second of two consecutive opportunities with a powerful service winner.

Hurkacz secured the first set with his only break chance when Djokovic double-faulted.

In the first game of the second set, Hurkacz saved Djokovic's next chance with a winner into the net.

In the tiebreaker, Djokovic dominated to force the deciding set.

Hurkacz immediately broke again to lead the third set. He had a chance when a ball bounced under Djokovic's racket, and he capitalized when the second-seeded Serb sent a forehand long.