"The wolf knows how to suffer and already caresses its hundredth crown"

Novak Djokovic is just one step away from reaching a century. It may sound simple, although in Miami he was in a similar situation: to achieve this, he had to endure, push his body to the limit, and overcome a match with many ups and downs. An almost perfect first set was followed by a hint of a great comeback by Cameron Norrie, who saved a match point in the second set tiebreak but saw his body give in to Djokovic's surge in the third set. A hard-fought victory that tastes better, advancing to the final of the ATP Geneva 2025 (6-4, 6-7(6), 6-1).

Because it was not easy for the Serbian, accustomed to a somewhat smoother script in his last two outings. Everything indicated that Novak could complete today's mission with such ease: his first set was the tournament's greatest display of power, half an hour of impeccable tennis where he accumulated 13 winners, only made two unforced errors, and barely lost a point on first serve.

Yes, everything was flowing in front of a packed crowd. Many of us traveled back to distant times when the Serbian was the only one able to challenge a certain Rafael Nadal on clay. But at his recently turned 38, maintaining such a high level over time is much more challenging. That first set, where Norrie, by the way, performed remarkably (simply confirming that his attacking shots had less power than the Serbian's but matching him in various stages of the match), was the prologue to a second set where Djokovic's physical decline became noticeable.

SUFFERING TASTES BETTER

Because the Serbian pumped adrenaline and began to struggle on the right side, his most vulnerable profile throughout the week. His attacking shots were no longer coming as easily, and Cameron, an experienced player accustomed to generating anxiety and doubt through long exchanges, seized this opportunity, maintaining his level, to reach 5-2 and a match point in the third set. Djokovic saved it, and everything seemed to change: now it was the British player feeling the pressure to close it out, now it was Nole positioned as the hunter. The set ended in an agonizing tiebreak that exposed Nole's flaws: it was a true reflection of an inconsistent set, wasting a match point with a poor return and conceding the second set with an unforced backhand error.

But Djokovic has an extra motivation this week, an additional gear called "100th title" and subtitled "victories before Roland Garros." The decisive set revealed a completely deflated Norrie, as if taking a set off Nole was sufficient. The British player's drop in intensity did not go unnoticed by Djokovic, who gritted his teeth and consistently approached the net to close points, ready to disrupt Cameron's rhythm, who lacked the energy to extend the rallies and raise the level of play.

What could have been a tough defeat turned into a mere formality, another victory for a Djokovic who proves he hasn't forgotten how to win while facing adversity. He will need it at Roland Garros 2025, as today's match showed the two sides of the coin: the Novak capable of overwhelming his opponents for 40 minutes of excellent tennis, but also the inconsistent Novak, who opens doors and opportunities that many players won't want to miss. Before Paris, however, the challenge is substantial: tomorrow, not before 15:30, the final for the 100th title against Hubert Hurkacz. Don't miss it.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El lobo sabe sufrir y ya acaricia su centésima corona