Novak Djokovic has been at his unflappable best at the Gonet Geneva Open this week. After saving ten break points out of 11 against Yannick Hanfmann on Tuesday, the world No. 1 pulled off another escapology act against Tallon Griekspoor (ATP 27), somehow winning the first set from 4-5 and 0-40 down and saving four set points in the process. “I was lucky to come away with that first set,” said the Serb afterwards, who eventually ran out a comfortable 7-5 6-1 winner in one hour 18 minutes. Waiting for him in the semis on Friday is 24-year-old Czech player Tomas Machac (ATP 44), who caused Djokovic plenty of problems in Dubai last year.
Also moving inexorably closer to the final is Casper Ruud, who will meet Flavio Cobolli (ATP 56) in the semi-finals after the Italian saw off Alexander Shevchenko (ATP 61) 6-4 6-4. The Norwegian prevailed in a superb three-setter against Sebastian Baez (ATP 20), though he needed a little luck along the way, with a providential net cord on the penultimate point of the match proving crucial. The Argentinian’s subsequent double fault on match point was almost inevitable after that.
The two went blow for blow before that dramatic finale in a chilly night session, showing that their recent results on clay owed nothing to luck and everything to masterful control of the surface.
