GENEVA — After a challenging start to the clay season, Novak Djokovic emerged victorious against Marton Fucsovics with a commanding score of 6-2, 6-3 in the rain-soaked second round of the Geneva Open on Wednesday.
Having suffered defeats in his two previous clay matches during the European spring, Djokovic will face a familiar opponent in the next round—one who has previously bested him.
In the quarterfinals set for Thursday, the second seed Djokovic is up against Matteo Arnaldi, who earlier defeated Fabian Marozsan with a scoreline of 6-3, 7-6 (3). Arnaldi previously triumphed over Djokovic at the Madrid Masters.
“This marks my first clay win of the season, which feels fantastic—it’s great to finally break the ice. The surface is incredibly demanding,” Djokovic shared during an on-court interview.
Displaying solid performance, Djokovic faced no break-point opportunities, successfully landed 73 percent of his first serves, and clinched victory with a stunning backhand winner on his second match-point opportunity.
“Having a strong serve definitely helped today; it’s been my most reliable shot,” Djokovic reflected.
The 24-time Grand Slam singles champion is on a quest for his 100th title on the ATP Tour.
