Basel: Djokovic turns it around against Humbert – Struff up next
Novak Djokovic came from a set down to beat Ugo Humbert at the Swiss Indoors and faces Jan-Lennard Struff on Thursday. Holger Rune beat Hubert Hurkacz to reach the quarter-finals.
Archive image · Photo: Vbrunophotog / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Novak Djokovic made a hard-fought start to his first Basel appearance since 2011. The fourth seed trailed France's Ugo Humbert by a set after an early break but won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 after 2 hours and 29 minutes. The crowd chanted "Nole, Nole" during the deciding game, SRF reported. According to Tennis Majors, the win takes Djokovic back into the world top 10.
On Thursday he meets world No. 47 Jan-Lennard Struff, who reached the final in Brussels last weekend. The ATP Finals are also at stake for Djokovic: Tennis Majors has him ninth in the Race to Turin on 2,890 points, 294 behind Rafael Jódar in the last qualifying spot. According to the ATP Tour, it would be a record 19th qualification.
Holger Rune provided the upset. The Dane, ranked only No. 1202 after his long injury lay-off, beat Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7) to reach the quarter-finals, where he is joined by Nuno Borges, a three-set winner over Casper Ruud. Taylor Fritz celebrated his 29th birthday with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win over Rinky Hijikata and now faces Denis Shapovalov.