Novak Djokovic is gearing up for another shot at Roland Garros glory, and his preparation in Geneva has been nothing short of impressive. The Serbian star overcame Matteo Arnaldi in the Geneva Open quarterfinals, delivering a straight-sets win to advance to the semifinals.
This victory carried extra significance for Djokovic, as Arnaldi had previously stunned him in their opening match at the Madrid Open. Choosing to skip the Rome Masters this year, Djokovic instead opted for the ATP 250 event in Switzerland to fine-tune his game ahead of the French Open.
On his 38th birthday, Djokovic faced a challenging test from the Italian, especially in the second set. While he ultimately won 6-4, 6-4, the second set saw Djokovic trailing 1-4 before mounting a remarkable comeback, winning five consecutive games to close out the match.
Now just two wins away from his 100th ATP title, Djokovic has a chance to join tennis legends Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only players in the Open Era to reach the triple-digit milestone.
Djokovic reflects on the win
The 24-time Grand Slam champion is into the Geneva semifinals for the second straight year, seeking to improve on last year’s semifinal loss to Tomas Machac. After his victory, Djokovic praised his performance while acknowledging the match’s difficulty.
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“It’s great to be in the semifinals again,” Djokovic said. “Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further; that’s the goal. I think I’m playing really good tennis. A straight-sets win, but it was much closer than the score indicates”.
Speaking about his dramatic comeback in the second set, he added, “I was 4-1 down in the second, but somehow I didn’t lose a game. I found the optimal state and balance, mentally and emotionally, to be able to play my best tennis when it was most needed. Hopefully, I can carry that into tomorrow”.
What’s next for Djokovic?
Djokovic will face Cameron Norrie in Friday’s semifinal as he continues his quest for a historic 100th title. Looking ahead, Djokovic will meet Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round of Roland Garros, where he’ll aim for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
