Novak Djokovic displayed his class as he enjoyed a “unique” celebration at the Geneva Open. The world No. 1 gave organisers a massive surprise when he decided to accept a last-minute wildcard into the tournament.
And he was rewarded with a gift of his own as he played his opening match on his birthday.
Djokovic turned 37 in style as he defeated Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 6-3, playing a tour-level match on his birthday for the first time on Wednesday.
The Serb was gifted a massive cake from the tournament’s bosses and showed his true colours as he made sure to hand a piece to everyone on the court, including the ball kids and security guards.
Djokovic later took to social media to thank the fans for their support after they sang to him on his birthday. “That was definitely a unique birthday celebration,” the 24-time Major champion wrote.
“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.”
The Serb also admitted that his birthday played a part in the victory, as he recovered from a 0-3 deficit in the second set and won the last six games in a row to book his spot in the quarter-finals.
During his on-court interview, Djokovic told the crowd: “The key was the birthday. My birthday probably wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t win the match but again it’s nice to be here for the first time in this tournament.
