Novak Djokovic successfully kept his pursuit of the season-ending ATP Finals alive by overcoming a difficult challenge in his opening match at the Basel tournament on Wednesday. The 39-year-old tennis star defeated French left-hander Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, marking his first appearance at the Swiss event since 2011.
Reflecting on the match, Djokovic noted the intensity of the contest, stating, “It was a super tight match, very intense from the beginning.” He explained that he was under pressure immediately, adding, “I was under attack from the very first point. I had to weather the storm, but I managed to find my rhythm at the beginning of the second set. After that, I started feeling a bit more comfortable with his tempo. Overall, it was a huge challenge. I succeeded in managing to find the solutions in a tough match today.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion currently sits 11th in the Race to Turin standings and entered the Swiss event on a wild card following an early exit at the Shanghai Masters. Earlier this month, he secured his 102nd career title at the China Open in Beijing, which bolstered his chances of achieving a record 19th qualification for the ATP Finals. Only the top eight players typically qualify for the event, which runs from November 15-22, though Jannik Sinner has already withdrawn due to a knee injury.
Djokovic, a seven-time winner of the season-ending championship who missed the last two editions due to injury, will face Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the next round. He currently maintains an undefeated 8-0 record against his upcoming opponent.
