Why Novak Djokovic Playing in the Geneva Open is a Bigger Deal Than Made Out to be

Advait Jajodia | 21/05/2024
Has Novak Djokovic Contradicted Himself by Promoting Tennis’ Rival Sport Ahead of US Open?

As he’s getting older, Novak Djokovic is participating in fewer tournaments. Over the past several years, the Serbian has been partaking in merely ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and the Grand Slam. Hence, the news of Djokovic accepting the Gonet Geneva Open wild card entry was celebrated by tennis enthusiasts. On the contrary, playing in Switzerland is actually a matter of concern.

The 24-time Grand Slam winner suiting up for the ATP 250 level event took the fans by surprise. However, the decision was a pretty smart one, considering the subpar form the 36-year-old has been in. Apart from a 12-5 YTD (worst start to the season since becoming World No.1), Djokovic suffered a shocking third-round loss against Alejandro Tabilo at the Italian Open 2024.

Entering the French Open 2024 with merely 12 wins all season long won’t be motivating for the Djoker. By participating in the Geneva Open, Djokovic could possibly lift the title and get his morale back up. While a huge majority believes that getting some more matches under his belt before the Grand Slam is a great idea, a larger group of naysayers criticized him for the same.

Having sustained losses against players outside the top 25 will hurt Djokovic’s confidence. With a great bunch – Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, and Ben Shelton – also participating, a potential first ATP 250 title win in over a year could ignite a spark and help Djoko find his rhythm in time for the Roland Garros. Andy Roddick is among the many esteemed personalities to laud him for the same.

Andy Roddick praises Novak Djokovic for participating in the Geneva Open

The tennis world had strong opinions about Novak Djokovic “stooping down” to participate in the ATP 250 event. But, Andy Roddick backed the Belgrade native’s decision. While the American was understandably “shocked” by the news, he agrees that getting more match experience on the dirt could result in a better result at the Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“I like the move and I’m also shocked by it.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Sometimes you need some reps and some real reps, right? You can feel great in practice, you can’t mimic that. So I think it’s the right move,” Roddick said on the ‘Tennis Channel Live’ podcast, per Tennis 365.

Djokovic could’ve played long-time rival Andy Murray in his opening-round clash had it not been for Yannick Hanfmann. Following a win over the German and potentially Federico Coria in the third round, Djoko is projected to play Taylor Fritz and Casper Ruud in the semifinals and finals, respectively.

Post Edited By: Hitesh Nigam
Geneva Open 2024 Novak Djokovic

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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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