IMAGE: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action during the Geneva Open semi-final against Britain’s Cameron Norrie at Tennis Club de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
Novak Djokovic moved to the brink of his 100th tour-level title after recovering from a second-set blip to beat British qualifier Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-7(6), 6-1 in the Geneva Open semi-finals on Friday.
Victory in Saturday’s final against Polish sixth seed Hubert Hurkacz would be the perfect end to the record 24-times Grand Slam champion’s preparations for the French Open, starting on Sunday.
Djokovic holds a commanding 7-0 career win-loss record over Hurkacz.
Djokovic, who turned 38 on Thursday, unleashed 11 aces and 34 winners in the match against Norrie, lasting two hours and 15 minutes.
After two tightly-fought sets, Djokovic was ruthless in the decider as he raced into a 3-0 lead before former world number eight Norrie got on the board.
Djokovic won the next three games, however, to reach his 143rd ATP Final.
IMAGE: Britain’s Cameron Norrie, ranked No. 90, kept Novak Djokovic guessing in the second set with heavy topspin forehands. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
“It was the toughest match of the tournament for me so far, three sets,” Djokovic said.
“(In) the second set, he was a break up and I managed to come back to the tiebreak… But I’m really glad how I regrouped in the third and played the best set of the tournament.”
Ranked world number six, Djokovic is bidding for a fourth Roland Garros title but has struggled for form since his run to the Australian Open semi-finals in January, when he retired injured.
It will be the Serbian’s second final this year after the Miami Open, where he lost to Czech teenager Jakub Mensik.
Earlier, Hurkacz dismantled qualifier Sebastian Ofner with a supreme serving performance to prevail 6-3, 6-4.
The Pole won 88 per cent (29/33) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and fired seven aces en route to reaching his 12th ATP Tour final.
Hurkacz is yet to drop a set in Geneva, including a statement victory over top seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals.
