Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable ascent through the ranks led him to capture the Shanghai Masters title, yet the momentum from that ‘fairy tale’ run faltered in his initial match at the Swiss Indoor Basel, a 500-level event. Facing top seed Taylor Fritz, Vacherot surprised the crowd by claiming the first set but ultimately fell short. The final score of 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 showed Fritz’s resilience as he battled through a tricky encounter.
Fritz acknowledged Vacherot’s effectiveness, especially noting how the slower conditions favored the Monegasque player. “As the match wore on, I began to see why he thrives in those conditions,” Fritz remarked. With strategic adjustments, he managed to secure a crucial break during the latter stages of the match when the balls were new, allowing him to regain control.
This hard-fought victory, lasting two hours and 36 minutes, brings Fritz closer to securing a spot in the ATP Finals in Turin, as he currently occupies the fifth position in the Race standings. In his next match, he will face Ugo Humbert, who recently reached the finals in Stockholm after defeating Sebastian Korda with a score of 6-3, 6-4.
Lorenzo Musetti, currently holding the last qualifying position for the ATP Finals, is competing in Vienna this week, while nearby in Basel, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud staked their claims for a late-season surge by advancing to the next round. Auger-Aliassime dispatched fellow Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 7-5, and expressed the challenges of facing a good friend on such a significant stage. “It felt a bit awkward. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous at the start,” he admitted, suggesting the emotional stakes of their match.
Auger-Aliassime, ranked ninth in the Race standings, will take on qualifier Marin Cilic next, while Ruud, sitting in the 11th position, defeated French Lucky Loser Quentin Halys 6-1, 7-6(3) and will face the legendary three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka. The duo previously met in 2022 at this same event, with Wawrinka emerging victorious.
In an exciting turn of events in Basel, Lucky Loser Botic van de Zandschulp progressed easily against Jiri Lehecka, who had made a final appearance in Brussels last week, with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 scoreline. Van de Zandschulp is set to challenge towering American Reilly Opelka next.
In other action, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina engaged in a marathon battle against Jenson Brooksby, needing two hours and 47 minutes to emerge triumphant with a score of 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-5. He secured a place in the quarterfinals, where he will be joined by Joao Fonseca, who advanced via a walkover due to an injury to Jakub Mensik’s left foot.
With the competition heating up and players vying for key positions as the season heads into its final stretch, the drama and intensity of the Swiss Indoor Basel tournament are expected to intensify in the coming rounds.
