GENEVA -- Novak Djokovic finally clinched his 100th career singles title by rallying to beat Hubert Hurkacz 5-7, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2) in more than three hours Saturday to become the Geneva Open champion.
Djokovic had lost his two previous finals since his 99th title win nine months ago at the Paris Olympics at Roland Garros.
The 100th was after a typically tough and hardworking match, two days after his 38th birthday and surrounded by his family in the Swiss city where some of his relatives reside.
"I'm just grateful to clinch the 100 here," Djokovic said in an on-court interview. "I had to work for it, that is for sure."
Djokovic joins tennis greats Jimmy Connors, who has a record 109 titles, and Roger Federer (103) as the only men in the Open era with a century of tournament wins.
The three-time French Open champion heads back to Paris looking to add to his 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Djokovic has a French Open first-round match Monday against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.
The Serb clinched Saturday with an ace down the middle to complete a surge to victory after breaking Hurkacz's serve for the first time while trailing 4-3 in the deciding set. Djokovic took that break-point chance with a forehand cross-court winner, advancing to the net on Hurkacz's sliced half-volley.
"Hubert was probably closer to the victory the entire match than I was," Djokovic said. "I don't know how I broke his serve."
Djokovic is the first man in the Open era to win a title in 20 seasons.
Djokovic's 100th singles title came nearly 19 years after his first in July 2006. That also was on clay, at Amersfoort in the Netherlands, against Nicolás Massú -- the Chilean who now coaches Hurkacz.
"It's really inspiring how you present yourself on the court, off the court. It's just really incredible what you have achieved," Hurkacz said to Djokovic in the on-court trophy presentations.
Djokovic collected his trophy in front of three golden balloons -- 1-0-0 -- tethered to the court.
Since the Paris Olympics, he had lost finals at the Shanghai Masters to Jannik Sinner last year and at the Miami Masters to Jakub Mensik in March.
Djokovic got much more than the match practice he came to Geneva for. He had quick exits in April from the previous tournaments he had entered in the European clay-court season, at Monte Carlo and Madrid.
He also got to spend time with his extended family in the Swiss lakeside city where he has an aunt, uncle and cousins. His wife and children joined him in Geneva to celebrate his birthday, with Djokovic quipping that the kids had cut a day of school.
Djokovic had break-point chances early in the first two sets but did not take them. At 2-2 in the first set, Hurkacz saved the second of back-to-back chances with a powerful service winner.
Hurkacz clinched the first set with his only break-point chance when Djokovic double-faulted.
In the opening game of the second set, Hurkacz saved Djokovic's next chance with an overhead winner at the net. In the tiebreaker, Djokovic dominated to force the decider.
Hurkacz immediately broke serve again to lead the third set. He got the chance when a low bouncing ball dived under Djokovic's racket and took it when the second-seeded Serb sent a forehand long.