Novak Djokovic didn't have to wait long enough to know his projected draw at the 2024 Geneva Open.
This year's ATP 250 tournament in the small city pearl of Switzerland has generated palpable buzz following the surprise inclusion of World No. 1 Djokovic as a wild card.
It was initially revealed as a rumor before Swiss media reported concrete talks between Djokovic and the tournament organizers. And so it happened in just a few hours, with the Serbian instilled as the tournament's top speed ahead of Casper Ruud.
The 36-year-old feels underprepared for Roland Garros, having only played six matches in warm-up tournaments before heading to Paris. So, how does Djokovic's projected draw look after a first-round bye?
Djokovic could start his Geneva Open campaign against a familiar foe, Andy Murray. The Scotsman has defeated Djokovic to win two of his three majors, but that was a long time ago. Murray is unlikely to trouble Djokovic, for starters, even with the Serbian looking extremely lackluster this season.
Given his lengthy injury absence, Murray will likely not even make it to a second-round meeting against Djokovic. So, Germany's Yannick Hanfmann will probably face the top seed.
Djokovic's quarterfinal challenger could be very interesting. Tallon Griekspoor and Denis Shapovalov are possible opponents. At altitude, the two men can powder any short ball with enormous power.
We saw Shapovalov impress in Madrid in similar conditions. He made the third round, only losing to Alexander Zverev. Djokovic is 8-0 against the Canadian lefty in their head-to-head.
In the semifinal, Djokovic might face in-form Taylor Fritz. The American is 10-4 on clay before Geneva, reaching the final in Munich, the semifinal in Madrid, and the quarterfinal in Rome.
Fritz has shared concerns about the tennis schedule causing too many injuries to tennis players and not giving them free time. If he is fatigued in Geneva, one of Jack Draper or Tomas Machac could pounce.
Casper Ruud is in the bottom half of the draw and the only other Top 10 player playing in Geneva. The Norweigan is the king of the 250s and is a two-time former champion of this tournament. So, in all likelihood, he will be the favorite to reach the final and potentially face Djokovic.