GENEVA: World number one Novak Djokovic fell to 44th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac, 6-4, 0-6, 6-1, in the semi-finals in Geneva on Friday ahead of his French Open title defence.

Djokovic, 37, took a wild card to the Swiss clay-court tournament in a bid to reverse an alarming dip in form ahead of Roland Garros where the 24-time Grand Slam champion has won three times.

“I have no reaction right now, I just fought for every ball,” said 23-year-old Machac. “When you play against Novak you just hope. You just try to play your best and see what it looks like.”

Djokovic, bidding to reach his first final of the season, received a medical timeout at the end of the first set.

The Serb will head to Roland Garros where he faces Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round having won no titles this year.

Machac, competing in his maiden tour-level semi-final, rallied from a break down in the first set and after failing to win a game in the second powered back in the third set.

“I’m looking forward to playing in a final for the first time,” said Machac who saw off 19-year-old Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) in their quarter-finals on Thursday.

Djokovic had moved to within two matches of his first trophy of 2024 after beating Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 7-5, 6-1 on Thursday.

In other quarter-final action, Norwegian second seed Casper Ruud beat Argentinian fifth seed Sebastian Baez 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 while Italy’s in-form Flavio Cobolli saw off Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 6-4.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2024