Djokovic celebrates 37th birthday with victory over Hanfmann at Geneva Open
GENEVA: On his 37th birthday, Novak Djokovic marked the occasion with a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann in the second round of the Geneva Open. The world number one, who accepted a late wildcard entry to the ATP 250 tournament, sought to refine his game ahead of next week’s French Open.
Despite an interruption by rain while serving for the first set, Djokovic maintained his composure. After an hour-long delay, he returned to the court and secured the first set with two consecutive aces. The Serb faced challenges in the second set, saving seven break points and initially trailing 3-0. However, he showcased his resilience by winning six consecutive games to clinch his 1,100th tour-level match win.
Djokovic’s decision to participate in Geneva came after a surprising early exit in Rome, where he was defeated by Alejandro Tabilo. This unexpected loss followed a bizarre incident where Djokovic was struck on the head by a fan’s water bottle while signing autographs. Despite these setbacks, Djokovic’s milestone win places him in elite company, trailing only behind Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer in total match victories.
With this win, Djokovic aims to build momentum and regain his form as he heads into the French Open, where he will seek to add to his record 24 Grand Slam titles.
