Novak Djokovic marked his 38th birthday in style at the Geneva Open, rallying past Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals. Facing the same opponent who ousted him in Madrid, Djokovic leaned on his experience and resilience on a chilly Swiss day.
The Serbian trailed 4-1 in the second set after a break and a strained knee stretch. Frustration boiled over when he smashed his racket, but he quickly apologized to the crowd in French: “I’m sorry for the racket. It’s not a good example particularly for the young ones. Thanks for your support in the cold.”
From 1-4 down, Djokovic reeled off five straight games, sealing victory when Arnaldi sent a forehand wide. “It was much closer than maybe the scoring indicates,” Djokovic reflected, showcasing poise under pressure.
Elsewhere on a rain-swept day, top seed Taylor Fritz fell to Hubert Hurkacz, while Karen Khachanov bowed out against Austrian qualifier Sebastian Ofner.
Up next for Djokovic is Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who beat Australia’s Alexei Popyrin 7-6(4), 6-4. With a birthday win under his belt, Djokovic will look to carry momentum into Friday’s semifinal showdown.
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Djokovic celebrates 38th birthday with win over Arnaldi at Geneva Open
cgtn.com
