The moment Nole fans have been waiting for is finally here! Since his last win at the ATP Finals in 2023, a title has eluded Novak Djokovic. He went through the entire 2024 season without a win—his first winless season since debuting in 2005! Though he hit a different milestone last year by winning gold at the Paris Olympics, he came into this year with high hopes. Either a 25th Grand Slam or a 100th title. Now, he can finally cross one off the list!

On Saturday, at the Geneva Open, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings rallied for a 5-7, 7-6(2), 7-6(2) victory over sixth seed Hubert Hurkacz. He triumphed at the clay-court ATP 250 event after a grueling three hours and five minutes—the longest match of this year’s tournament! Djokovic faced a turbulent last six months filled with early exits and injury woes. He came back from 2-4 down in the deciding set to seal the win.

With this victory, Djokovic joins the elite club of players with three-digit ATP singles titles. He now stands alongside Roger Federer (103) and the legendary Jimmy Connors (109)! The chase for this milestone has been long-awaited. His closest attempt was at the Miami Open final against rising star Jakub Mensik, but an eye infection cost him the title. Now, he finally has his hands on this milestone.

Before that Miami Open final, former pro Patrick McEnroe tweeted, “Today @DjokerNole will win his 100th career title @MiamiOpen. He will join 2 other male players in the 3-digit category. Who are they? Do not google it.” That moment has finally arrived, and Nole can breathe a sigh of relief!

“I had to work for it, that’s for sure. Hubi was probably closer to victory [in] the entire match than I was,” Nole said post-match. “I had some chances in the first set to break his serve, then had a bad game which ended up with the double fault on set point.”

Novak played a tough match! Many believed he wouldn’t play for months after his hamstring injury at the Australian Open. But he came back stronger and proved it against Hubert. The Pole led by a set and took Djokovic to tiebreaks in the second and third sets but eventually fell short.

Fun fact: Novak Djokovic won his first title in Amersfoort in 2006, defeating Hurkacz’s current coach, Nicolas Massu, in the final!

As Nole added, “I was just trying to hang in there, I don’t know how I broke his serve. He probably broke himself in the third, when he was 4-3 up, but this is what happens at the highest level. Very few points decide the winner. Incredible match, 7-6 in the third with a full stadium, beautiful atmosphere. I’m just grateful to clinch the 100th here.”

By securing his first title since winning gold at last year’s Paris Olympics, Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to lift a trophy in 20 different seasons. The 38-year-old is also the oldest champion in the Geneva tournament’s history. Perhaps his pre-match rituals that might have finally helped him!

Novak Djokovic reveals how he prepares for a match

Now that he’s hit his 100th title, that includes 24 Grand Slams, 7 ATP Finals, 40 Masters 1000s, 15 ATP 500s, 13 ATP 250s, plus an Olympic Gold. And let’s not forget, he held the No. 1 spot for a record 428 weeks. It’s curious to see what’s behind this incredible run. For Novak, it’s all about mindset.

He said, “Mental strength is not a gift. It is something that comes with work. I train for it…I might appear locked in, but there is a storm inside. The biggest battle is always raging inside. You have your doubts and fears. I feel it every single match. Nothing but mindset. ‘Just think positive thoughts, be optimistic, there is no room for failure.’ It is impossible (to think like that). You are a human being.”

Recently, Djokovic met Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne in Turkiye, who asked about the key to his consistency. Novak replied, “Mostly it’s about consistency because I feel that the brain can stream us that way. If you do that, whether a right or wrong thing, over and over again, then it becomes a habit. It becomes a part of your daily routine, and then you get results or outcomes out of it. What you invest is that’s what you get. So I tried to have certain routines consistently there on a daily basis.”

In a 2023 interview on 60 Minutes, Novak revealed his nightly ritual: “I try to write on a paper with a pen. There’s something about that ritual where you’re emotionally cleansing, I think, as well when you’re doing that and spending some quality time with yourself and your thoughts. I think it serves you well.” Before big tournaments like the Australian Open, he often visits a botanical garden to clear his head. These small routines clearly help him stay sharp.

After a tough season, Novak Djokovic’s win in Geneva has given him fresh energy heading into the 2025 French Open. His first-round match against Mackenzie McDonald is tomorrow, May 25. Last year, he reached the quarterfinals—will he push further and grab that 25th Grand Slam? We can’t wait to see! What’s your take?