WATCH: Novak Djokovic surprised with special cake as he commemorates 37th birthday with 2R win at Geneva Open 2024
Novak Djokovic got the perfect gift for his 37th birthday as he began his campaign at the 2024 Geneva Open with a comfortable win. The Serb was presented with a special cake, by the organizers, on the court after the match.
Novak Djokovic turned 37 on May 22 and celebrated the day on the court at the 2024 Geneva Open. He turned heads when he accepted a main draw wildcard to play at the ATP 250 tournament just a week before Roland Garros. After a first-round bye, the World No. 1 faced Yannick Hanfmann in the second.
Djokovic broke the 85th-raked German once to take the first set. Hanfmann showed some fight in the second set as he had a break advantage. But, the Serb romped the German by breaking him thrice in a row and wrapped up a 6-3, 6-3 win.
After the match, the tournament organizers brought a cake to celebrate the 24-time Grand Slam champion's birthday. Djokovic was enthused to see the reception; his expressions proved he loved the cake. He also shared it with ball kids and others present on the court.
The man from Belgrade later took to social media platform X and expressed gratitude towards the "love" he received on the court.
"That was definitely a unique birthday celebration. I’ve received so much love from all of you and sealed it with a W. Love for me, win for you! See you again tomorrow. Same office, older guy #ATPGVA," he tweeted.
Novak Djokovic hopes to end 2024 title drought at Geneva Open
Novak Djokovic has been going through a dry spell this year as has failed to win a singles title on the 2024 ATP Tour. This includes his unsuccessful title defense at the Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinal.
After Melbourne, the Serb suffered a seismic upset against Luca Nardi, then ranked outside the top 100 at the Indian Wells Masters. This was followed by a semifinal loss against Casper Ruud in Monte-Carlo and a third-round defeat at the hands of Alejandro Tabilo at the Italian Open.
If he fails to win the 2024 Geneva Open, the eight-time ATP Player of the Year will enter Roland Garros, where he is the defending champion, without a title under his belt in a calendar year for the first time since 2018. The 37-year-old will face either Denis Shapovalov or Tallon Griekspoor in the quarterfinals in Geneva.