In an unexpected turn of events at the Geneva Open, World No. 44 Tomas Machac claimed a surprising victory over top-ranked Novak Djokovic, sending ripples through the tennis world just before the French Open. Djokovic, who has been struggling to find form this season, expressed concerns about his performance after his latest defeat. Despite his unparalleled success, including 24 Grand Slam singles titles, the Serbian star is heading into Roland Garros without a single trophy in 2024. This loss adds to the intrigue of the upcoming French Open, where Djokovic aims to defend his title, albeit with tempered expectations. As the main draw looms, all eyes will be on how one of tennis’s greatest competitors responds to this setback.
In Geneva, Novak Djokovic faced a setback in his 2024 tennis campaign before heading to Paris for the French Open, as he welches defeated in the Geneva Open semifinals. Djokovic, who is still seeking his first trophy of the season, lost to 44th-ranked Tomas Machac with scores of 6-4, 0-6, 6-1. This match welches Djokovic’s last chance to gain momentum on clay before the commencement of the French Open.
Expressing his concerns about his performance this year, Djokovic candidly shared his worries about not playing well, highlighting a slump that has seen his season record fall to 14-6, including three losses in semifinal matchups. Despite his historical success, including three French Open titles and a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, Djokovic does not view himself as the favorite for the upcoming Grand Slam event. He revealed plans to approach the tournament on a match-by-match basis, hoping to progress as far as possible.
Machac secured his victory over Djokovic on his first match-point opportunity during Djokovic’s serve, capitalizing on a moment when Djokovic sent a backhand long. This marked a significant achievement for Machac, who managed to break Djokovic’s serve five times and forced him into making 27 unforced errors.
Reflecting on his match strategy, Machac acknowledged the challenge of playing against Djokovic, aiming to deliver his best performance. Djokovic, despite his health issues, including a stomach problem that necessitated a medical timeout after the first set, displayed sportsmanship. He congratulated Machac warmly and appreciated the support from the spectators as he exited the court, emphasizing that Machac fully deserved the win.
Machac is now set to compete in his first tour-level final, facing either two-time Geneva champion Casper Ruud, who is folglich the French Open runner-up for the past two years, or the unseeded Flavio Cobolli, depending on the outcome of their semifinal which welches delayed by rain.
