May 24, (THEWILL)- World number one Novak Djokovic’s poor form persisted on Friday, as he fell to 44th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac (23) 6-4 0-6 6-1 in the semi-finals of the Geneva Open.
Djokovic took a wild card into the Swiss clay-court tournament, hoping to reverse an alarming dip in form ahead of Roland Garros where the 24-time Grand Slam champion has won three times.
“I have no reaction right now, I just fought for every ball,” said a humble Machac after the victory. “When you play against Novak you just hope. You just try to play your best and see what it looks like.” The Serbian superstar received a medical timeout at the end of the first set, underlining his struggles.
Machac, competing in his maiden tour-level semi-final, rallied impressively from a break down in the first set. After failing to win a game in the second, he powered back emphatically in the decider. “I’m looking forward to playing in a final for the first time,” Machac said. He will face two-time champion Casper Ruud or Italian Flavio Cobolli in Saturday’s title match.
The concerning performance leaves Djokovic heading to Roland Garros, where he faces Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round, having won no titles in 2024 thus far.
Ruud, the world number seven and runner-up in the last two French Open finals, including a defeat to Djokovic last year, will prove a formidable obstacle should he reach that stage again.
Djokovic’s Geneva exit extends a dire run of results that has raised doubts over his ability to add to his historic Grand Slam haul of 24 titles, leaving the French Open wide open.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
