Novak Djokovic launched his return to Basel with a hard-fought 4-6 6-3 6-4 comeback victory against France’s Ugo Humbert. The victory keeps alive the Serbian’s chances of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.
Djokovic Keeps Turin Hopes Alive
The 24-time major champion secured the two-and-a-half-hour contest with a powerful forehand winner down the line. Currently sitting 11th in the race to Turin, Djokovic remains in contention to secure a record 19th appearance at the tournament, which features the year’s top eight players.
Djokovic, who previously defeated Roger Federer to claim the Basel title in 2009, had not featured at the Swiss event since 2011. Speaking after the match, he acknowledged the stern test provided by his French opponent.
“I was under attack from the very first point and had to weather the storm,” Djokovic said in comments reported by BBC Sport. “It’s my first indoor match, so I expected to be a little bit rusty in a tough draw. It is a big win for me, I know there are quite a few things I can do better but a win is a win, and I will take that today.”
The result marked Djokovic’s 20th tour-level victory of the year, ensuring he has reached that milestone for a 21st consecutive season. After dropping the opening set against world number 38 Humbert, Djokovic saved break points twice early in the second set before breaking his opponent’s serve for the first time to kickstart his fightback.
The match was Djokovic’s first indoor contest since claiming the Athens title last November. He entered the tournament trailing Spain’s Rafael Jodar by 319 points for the eighth and final qualification spot, with Jodar also picking up 50 points following a first-round win. In addition to his qualification pursuit, Djokovic is seeking his 103rd career title to tie Federer for second place on the all-time Open era list, having collected his 102nd trophy in Beijing in October.
Dart Reaches Guangzhou Quarter-Finals
In women’s tennis, Great Britain’s Harriet Dart earned a spot in the quarter-finals of the Guangzhou Open by overcoming second seed Janice Tjen in China. The world number 115 defeated her Indonesian opponent 6-4 3-6 6-3 in a match lasting two hours and 28 minutes.
Dart will next face former world number two Paula Badosa. The Spanish player advanced after dispatching Austria’s Sinja Kraus 6-1 6-4 in 67 minutes.
