Novak Djokovic began his campaign in Basel with a hard-fought three-set victory over France's Ugo Humbert on Wednesday, keeping his hopes of qualifying for the season-ending ATP Finals alive. The Serbian star recovered from losing the opening set to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in his first appearance at the Swiss tournament since 2011.
The victory represents an important step for Djokovic as he targets a record-extending 19th appearance at the ATP Finals. The 39-year-old strengthened his qualification prospects earlier this month by winning the China Open in Beijing, claiming the 102nd tour-level title of his illustrious career.
However, his progress was interrupted by an early elimination at the Shanghai Masters. After that setback, the 24-time Grand Slam champion accepted a wild card to compete in Basel, having dropped to 11th in the ATP Race to Turin standings.
Djokovic has won the ATP Finals seven times but missed the previous two editions because of injuries. With only the top eight players earning places at the tournament, every victory is crucial as he attempts to secure his spot in the season-ending competition, scheduled for November 15–22. Jannik Sinner has already withdrawn from this year's event because of a knee problem.
The fourth-seeded Djokovic will next face Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff. The Serbian holds a perfect record against Struff, having won all eight of their previous encounters.
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