Djokovic loses Geneva semi and goes to French Open with no titles in 2024

GENEVA (AP) — Novak Djokovic will defend his French Open title in Paris still without a trophy this season after losing in the Geneva Open semifinals on Friday.

The 44th-ranked Tomas Machac beat Djokovic 6-4, 0-6, 6-1 in the last clay-court event to prepare for Roland Garros, where main draw play starts on Sunday.

“Of course I am worried. I haven’t been playing good at all this year,” Djokovic said.

His record in 2024 dropped to 14-6 overall and 0-3 in semifinals, including at the Australian Open against Jannik Sinner.

"I don’t consider myself a favorite there," the top-ranked Serb said of his chances at Roland Garros, where he's won two of the past three titles and three overall among his men's record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. "I’m going to take it match by match and see how far I can go.”

Machac took his first match-point chance which came on Djokovic’s serve, and clinched when Djokovic pushed a backhand long.

It was the fifth time Djokovic had his service broken and he also made 27 unforced errors.

“If you play against Novak you just hope and try to play your best and see how it looks,” Machac said in an on-court interview.

Djokovic warmly greeted the Czech at the net, and smiled as he walked off court, applauding the fans.

Djokovic took a medical timeout after the first set for a stomach issue.

“It was a terrible feeling with stomach and health today. It was not a great night and today as well," he said. “I don’t want to take anything away from his win, he deserved it."

Machac will play his first tour final on Saturday against two-time Geneva champion Casper Ruud, the French Open runner-up for the past two years, or the unseeded Flavio Cobolli. Their semifinal did not start on time because of a lengthy rain delay.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Novak Djokovic, right, of Serbia, congratulates the match winner Tomas Machac, left, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns a ball to Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, wipe your eyes as he plays Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, reacts after winning a game against Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns a ball to Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, returns a ball to Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, returns a ball to Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts after losing a game against Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, reacts after losing a point as he plays Tomas Machac, of the Czech Republic, during their semi-final match, at the ATP 250 Geneva Open tennis tournament in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, May 24, 2024. (Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP)

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Lauren Coughlin held onto the lead Friday in the CPKC Women’s Open, while Canadian star Brooke Henderson was derailed by closing bogeys at windy and smokey Earl Grey Golf Club.

Coughlin followed her opening 4-under 68 on Thursday in chilly and windy conditions with a 70 on Friday to get to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. The temperature made it into the 70s after barely climbing into the 60s on Thursday.

“I think I handled it really well overall,” Coughlin said. “It was just really difficult to judge how far the ball was going to go with the wind and the crosswind and how firm the greens got. And they had some tough pins, especially considering the direction of the wind.”

Playing through a smokey haze from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes in her afternoon round for a 73 that left her seven strokes back at 1 over. She won the 2018 tournament.

Coughlin is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is winless on the LPGA Tour.

On Friday, she had three front-none birdies and dropped a stroke on the par-4 11th. In two rounds, she's 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.

“I putted extremely well,” Coughlin said. “Two-putted really well all day. Took advantage of the front nine, which you have to, and then kind of hold on on the back nine.”

Green matched Coughlin with a 70. The Australian is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

“It was tough again out there,” Green said. “There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult.”

Ryu bogeyed the 18th for 69.

“The weather is really bad,” Ryu said. “Is a little bit cold and so windy.”

The 23-year-old South Korean player won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for her first LPGA Tour title. She was second last week in Ohio in the Dana Open.

Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join second-ranked Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at age 15, successfully defended her title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.

“It’s not easy — and I think the scores are showing,” Ko said. “Anything kind of under par the past couple days is a really solid round. I’m pretty happy with the way I started this week.”

Kupcho topped the leaderboard at 8 under after birdieing five of the first eight holes in her morning round, then was 5 over the rest of the way. She had a double bogey on the par-4 16th, four bogeys and a birdie on her final nine holes.

“I’m pretty upset,” Kupcho said. “I think in hindsight I still hit 15 greens. Like I was hitting the ball really good. Three-putted 10 and 11 and four-putted 16. I didn’t play bad. Just had a couple shaky putts down the stretch — and that’s going to happen.”

Lexi Thompson was in the group with Henderson tied for 26th at 1 over after a 73 The American plans to play a limited schedule after this season.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Lexi Thompson, of the United States, chips on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, watches her tee shot on the fifteenth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, lines up a putt on the fourteenth green during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

New Zealand's Lydia Ko hits a tee shot on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Korea's Haeran Ryu hits a tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Brooke Henderson hits a tee shot on the second hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits from the fairway on the sixth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits a tee shot on the seventh hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)