Novak Djokovic takes step closer to Roger Federer as Rafael Nadal left chasing behind
Novak Djokovic was a surprise entrant at the Geneva Open
Novak Djokovic has reached another remarkable milestone, leaving Rafael Nadal trailing in his wake.
The Serbian tennis titan celebrated his 37th birthday with a straight-sets victory over Yannick Hanfmann, securing his place in the quarter-finals of the Geneva Open on Wednesday. Remarkably, it marked his 1,100th win on the ATP Tour, making him only the third player to achieve the feat. Djokovic's losses on the Tour are a mere 218, further highlighting his incredible career.
Roger Federer is one of the other players to have reached this milestone, with 1,251 wins and 275 losses - a record that Djokovic could surpass if he remains injury-free. The other player with 1,100 or more wins is perhaps less obvious - American legend Jimmy Connors, who tops the list with 1,274 wins and 282 losses.
Nadal, also 37, is lagging behind, partly due to his patchy injury history. However, his record of 1,075 wins and 224 losses is still incredibly impressive.
Djokovic's participation in the ATP 250 event in Geneva came as a surprise following his unexpected early exit from the Italian Open at the hands of Chile's Alejandro Tabilo, just two days after being accidentally hit on the head by a bottle.
After undergoing tests, the world number one requested a wild card into the Swiss tournament and kicked off his campaign with a 6-3 6-3 victory. Djokovic had a tough time getting past the German though, taking 90 minutes to secure his victory. Hanfmann, who had defeated Andy Murray in round one, was broken in the sixth game of the first set.
After a brief rain delay, Djokovic claimed the first set but stumbled at the start of the second, finding himself 3-0 down. However, the 23-time major winner regained control and won the next six games consecutively, securing his spot in the quarter-finals.
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With his sights set on the Geneva Open, Djokovic is hoping for a win to provide a solid foundation for his French Open defence. The Serb emerged victorious against Casper Rudd last year, winning his third Roland-Garros title in straight sets.
This victory also made him the oldest winner of the event in the Open Era, at 36 years and 20 days old. This surpassed the previous record held by Nadal, who won the 2022 edition at 36 years and two days old - an 18-day difference.