World No.1 Novak Djokovic, out of form after checkered results in recent weeks, was granted an invitation by the organizers of the ATP 500 tournament in Geneva (May 19-25) less than two weeks away. of Roland-Garros (May 26-June 9), where he will defend his title.
“He will enter the second round, either Tuesday or Wednesday,” a tournament spokesperson told AFP.
Djokovic, winner of 24 Grand Slam titles, a record for men’s tennis, is experiencing a nightmarish season far from his usual standards. He has not reached a final on the tour in 2024, his best performance being a semi-final at the Australian Open and the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo.
Last weekend, he was eliminated in the third round of the Masters 1000 in Rome by the modest Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (N.32), without giving the feeling of playing at his level (6-2 6-3). His stay in Rome was also marked by an unprecedented incident when he was knocked unconscious by a water bottle that fell from a spectator’s bag while he was signing autographs after his easy victory against Frenchman Corentin Moutet (6-3, 6 -1).
At first, he made fun of the incident and even showed up to a training session wearing a bicycle helmet. However, he later revealed that he had suffered from nausea and dizziness.
In Geneva, Djokovic will try to win his 99th title on the circuit.