Djokovic celebrates ‘big win’ on return to Basel
Novak Djokovic fought back from a set down to beat Ugo Humbert in Basel, calling the victory “big” as he pursues a place at the season-ending ATP Finals. The win keeps alive his bid to qualify for a record 19th appearance at the event, which is limited to the year’s top eight performers.
Djokovic won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two and a half hours, on his first appearance in Basel since 2011. He is 11th in the race to Turin, 319 points behind Spain’s Rafael Jodar, who holds the last qualifying spot. The victory was Djokovic’s 20th tour-level win this year, extending his streak of seasons with at least 20 wins to 21.
In short
- Djokovic came from behind to beat Humbert in Basel.
- The win keeps his ATP Finals qualification hopes alive.
- He needs to make up 319 points to reach the top eight.
Explained simply
The ATP Finals is the men’s tennis season-ending tournament, where places go to the eight players with the strongest results over the year. Players earn points through the season, so a win late in the year can affect who qualifies.
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian player who has won the tournament six times, a record he shares with Roger Federer. He is seeking to reach it for a 19th time, while Rafael Jodar is among the players competing for one of the remaining places.