Novak Djokovic will play the Swiss Indoors in Basel after accepting a wild card into the ATP 500 event, the ATP announced on Friday. The tournament runs from 26 October to 1 November, and it gives the 39-year-old an extra chance to climb into the qualifying places for the ATP Finals in Turin.
A change of plan
The decision reverses what Djokovic said only days ago. After losing to Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of the Shanghai Masters, he told atptour.com: "I am planning on only playing in Paris." Adding Basel means he no longer has to stake everything on the Paris Masters (2-8 November), the last event that counts for the Race.
The arithmetic explains why. Djokovic is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, the ATP says. With Jannik Sinner out for the rest of the season through injury, finishing ninth should be enough to qualify — and an ATP 500 title is worth 500 points. Our Race to Turin explainer sets out who is already through and how tight the gaps are below fifth place.
Back in Basel for the first time since 2011
This will be Djokovic's fourth appearance at the Swiss Indoors and his first since 2011, according to the ATP. He has a 12-2 record at the event and won the title in 2009, beating Roger Federer in the final in Federer's home town. The ATP marked the announcement with a post reading "17 years on…", a nod to that title, the Associated Press reported.
He will not be short of opposition. Félix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz are also in the field, the ATP said — all three in the race for Turin themselves.
Chasing Federer's 103
Djokovic won his 102nd tour-level title earlier this month at the China Open in Beijing, where Alex de Minaur retired injured in the final. One more title would draw him level with Federer on 103; only Jimmy Connors, with 109, has won more in the Open Era.
What it means
The fight for the last place in Turin is now a three-week sprint across Basel, Vienna and Paris. Rafael Jodar, ninth in the Live Race after reaching the Shanghai semi-finals, plays Daniil Medvedev on Saturday, so the gap Djokovic has to close may grow before he even arrives in Switzerland. By adding Basel, he has given himself two chances instead of one. Follow the ATP rankings and the tennis calendar for the final weeks of the season.
Sources
This article was written by TiebreakNews from the reporting below, checked against official results and rankings.
- ATP Tour — Novak Djokovic accepts wild card for Basel
- Associated Press (via ESPN) — Novak Djokovic accepts wild-card invite for Swiss Indoors
- ATP Tour — Novak Djokovic gives schedule update following Shanghai exit
- Tennis Now — Djokovic Accepts Wild Card into Basel