Djokovic nears 100th ATP title

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Novak Djokovic moved to within one win of securing his 100th ATP title by defeating a battling Cameron Norrie to reach the final of a clay-court event in Geneva on Friday.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion, playing in Switzerland to warm up for the French Open, missed a match point in the second set before eventually winning 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1.

“It was the toughest match of the tournament for me so far, three sets,” Djokovic said.

“(In) the second set, he was a break up and I managed to come back to the tie-break, (I had) a match point, I got a little bit tight there. But I’m really glad how I regrouped in the third and played the best set of the tournament.”

Djokovic will attempt to secure his first tournament victory since winning Olympic gold in Paris last summer when he faces Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in Saturday’s final.

He is aiming to become only the third player to reach a century of ATP titles after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer.

The 38-year-old is playing in his first event since splitting from coach and old rival Andy Murray.

He also lost both of his previous matches on clay this season before this week, but appears to be finding form ahead of the start of Roland Garros on Sunday.

Djokovic will start his bid for a fourth French Open triumph and record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title when he faces American Mackenzie McDonald in the first round.

On Friday, he took the first set against former Wimbledon semi-finalist Norrie courtesy of a break in the seventh game.

The Serbian battled back from 5-2 down in the second set to force a tie-break, but saw a match point come and go as Britain’s Norrie sent the tie into a decider.

But Djokovic raced into a 3-0 lead in the third, losing just one point across those first three games.

He closed it out on his second match point after another run of three straight games.