He pulled out all the stops! In front of his family and a crowd eager to be won over, Novak Djokovic defeated Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-3 in a round-of-16 match that had all the makings of a potential trap. This first clay-court victory of the year, earned with real flair and without facing a single break point, is sure to be the first of many. That much is certain.

And perhaps the next will come as early as this Thursday, against Matteo Arnaldi, the very player who beat him last month in Madrid. “If I play at the same level as I did against Fucsovics, I can beat any opponent,” admitted Novak Djokovic. “My serve and forehand were working beautifully.” His backhand was just as effective, particularly the down-the-line shot that sealed the first set in style.

This Thursday, on his 38th birthday, Djokovic knows he’ll need to tighten his game even further against Matteo Arnaldi. In Madrid, the player from San Remo had defeated him 6-3, 6-4 with an exceptional performance. In Geneva, Arnaldi saw off Hugo Gaston and Fabian Marozsan to set up another showdown with the world No. 1.

Often overshadowed by Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, Matteo Arnaldi is also a testament to the depth of Italian tennis, which continues to produce top-tier talent. Novak Djokovic knows it—and he’s fully aware of the danger that lies ahead.

It rained heavily on Tuesday in Geneva. But the essentials were preserved for the Gonet Geneva Open, as all the first-round matches were completed. Arthur Rinderknech, Hubert Hurkacz, and Fabian Marozsan won decisively, slipping through the rain to reach the round of 16. The Gonet Geneva Open is therefore still on schedule.

Hubert Hurkacz certainly had time to make an impression. The Pole defeated Arthur Cazaux 6–3, 6–4 and will face another French player on Wednesday, Arthur Rinderknech. Currently ranked 31st in the ATP rankings, but as high as No. 6 last August, Hubert Hurkacz has paid a heavy price in recent months due to knee and back injuries. A quarterfinalist last week in Rome, he seems capable of making a strong run in his first appearance at the Gonet Geneva Open.

The last player to defeat Roger Federer in an official match, in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2021, Hubert Hurkacz could indeed shake up the top of the draw, with a potential quarterfinal clash against top seed Taylor Fritz. It’s already mouthwatering.

Novak Djokovic is seeking to rebuild his confidence as he approaches the Gonet Geneva Open.

“It’s not an ideal situation,” admitted the Serbian, the No. 2 seed in the draw, on the eve of his debut against Marton Fucsovics, the 2018 tournament winner.

“This is a different chapter of my career that I’m trying to navigate. I’m not really used to these circumstances, with early-round defeats piling up. Even though I knew it would eventually happen,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is still waiting to win his first clay-court match this year after first-round exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid.

“I’m proud of everything I’ve achieved in my career, but I still have the desire to do everything I can to reach my best level, to win Grand Slam titles and beat the best players in the world,” he continued. “That’s why I’m here at the Gonet Geneva Open.”

Novak Djokovic — who arrived at his press conference more than four hours early — knows that his window of opportunity is narrowing. The coming weeks and months could be decisive in his dual quest for a 100th ATP title and a 25th Grand Slam trophy.

“I hope to win at least one match here in Geneva,” he said. But everything suggests he’s aiming to make a real statement this week on the courts of TC Genève.

Dominic Stricker (ATP 233) was unable to defy the odds. The Bernese player lost to former world No. 8 Cameron Norrie (ATP 90) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in a match interrupted by the tournament’s first rain shower—one that will leave him with plenty of regrets.
Indeed, Dominic Stricker served for the first set at 5-4. Unfortunately, he let the opportunity slip before poorly managing the start of the tiebreak. After a difficult beginning, Cameron Norrie found his rhythm and was never truly threatened again in this left-handed duel. On Wednesday, the Brit will face last year’s finalist Tomas Machac (ATP 21).

Earlier in the day, Kei Nishikori (ATP 62) showed the Gonet Geneva Open crowd that the fire still burns strong in him at 35 years old. The Japanese player emerged victorious from a great match against American teenager Learner Tien (ATP 67). Winning 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, he’ll be back on court Tuesday for a promising round of 16 clash against Karen Khachanov—especially if Nishikori plays as he did in the third set.

The show continued on Court No. 1. Last year’s Gstaad finalist, Quentin Halys (ATP 50), defeated Jaume Munar (ATP 58) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) in a clash that came down to the wire. Likely decided by a forehand strike as desperate as it was brilliant from Halys, while the Spaniard was just two points from victory at 5-4, 30-30 in a breathtaking third set. On Wednesday, the Frenchman will try to shake things up against top seed Taylor Fritz. Yes, the Gonet Geneva Open has started with a bang—and what’s coming promises to be even crazier…

The first two matches of the main draw went as expected. The two favorites, Alexei Popyrin and Nuno Borges, claimed victory and could well go far in the 2025 Gonet Geneva Open.

Ranked 25th in the world, Alexei Popyrin won 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 against the 2023 tournament winner, Nicolas Jarry (ATP 53). Everything came down to the final game, in which Jarry committed three costly errors.

As for Nuno Borges (ATP 40), who enjoyed strong support from the many Portuguese fans in attendance, he defeated American Alex Michelsen (ATP 32) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The man who beat Rafael Nadal last year in the final at the Bastad tournament—“That day I was the bad guy of the entire tennis world, since everyone wanted Nadal to win,” he smiled—hopes to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot João Sousa, a finalist at the Gonet Geneva Open in 2015 and 2022.