Nole's return: Novak Djokovic 'pleased with level' after dominant Geneva performance

Novak Djokovic expressed his happiness at "breaking the ice" after securing his first clay-court victory of the season at the Geneva Open. The 24-time Grand Slam champion delivered a notable performance to defeat Marton Fucsovics in a revitalizing win that showcased a very high level from the Serbian.

Djokovic's decision to skip the Rome Open for a period of preparation away from competition appears to be paying off. Not only due to the convincing 6-2, 6-3 triumph, but also because of the high level of play that is beginning to inspire confidence just a week before the start of Roland Garros.

"My first win this season on clay, it's great to break the ice in a way. It's a very demanding surface," he stated in his press conference. "We all know how tricky it is to play on clay. Compared to the other surfaces, you always have to expect an extra one or two shots, balls coming back."

"Here, there's a bit more altitude, so it helps if you have a good serve. Today, I think that was my strongest shot," he added. "I had a very high percentage of first serves [and] a lot of free points on the first serve when I needed to get myself out of trouble."

"It makes life on the court a bit easier. Very glad, as I say, to play the best tennis when it was most needed," Djokovic added. "All the way through, until the last moment, I was quite focused and pleased with the level of tennis. Hopefully that can continue tomorrow."

The Serbian is now preparing to face the eighth seed Matteo Arnaldi in the quarterfinals, an opportunity for revenge for Nole. In the Madrid Open, it was the Italian who defeated him in straight sets in his opening match, handing Djokovic his third consecutive loss. This time with more confidence, Nole will be seeking another victory and aiming to advance further in the Geneva Open, in pursuit of his 100th career title.