By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Photo credit: Screen Shot
The 2026 season has been a study of vision and revision for Novak Djokovic.
Returning to Basel for the first time in 15 years, Djokovic showed finishing focus—and an eye on the year-end prize today.
The 39-year-old Djokovic dispatched Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in his Swiss Indoors Basel opener to keep his hopes for the ATP Finals in Turin alive.
“Super tight match, very intense,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “From the very beginning he was just striking the ball early, being super aggressive, taking away a lot of time from me.”
In his first hard-court indoor match since he defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the Athens final in the fall of 2025, Djokovic turned the match around saving two break points to start the second set then immediately breaking for a 2-0 second-set lead.
“I was under attack from the first point, to be honest. I had to weather the storm,” Djokovic said. “It was really tough for a set and a half. I managed to find my rhythm in the beginning of the second, saved some break points, crucial at the beginning of the second set. After that, started feeling a little more comfortable with his tempo.
“But overall just a huge challenge and great burden and obstacle that I managed to find the solution and win a tough match today.”
Improving his level of play in every set, Djokovic served 73 percent, pumped nine aces and saved five of six break points beating Humbert for the second time in as many meetings.
The 2009 champion Djokovic is the only former champion still standing in Basel as he plays for a 103rd career championship. Djokovic is bidding to equal the man he beat in that 2009 Basel final, Swiss Maestro Roger Federer, for second place on the Open Era list with 103 championships behind all-time leader Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors.
It was Djokovic’s 20th win of the season marking the 21st consecutive year he’s won 20 or more matches in a season.
All this from a man whose season was written off as toast by some after he suffered back-to-back opening-round upset losses in Cincinnati and the US Open.
Today, Djokovic occupies the 11th spot in the ATP’s Race to Turin with 2,890 points. The Top 8 men qualify for the season-ending event—reigning champion Jannik Sinner is out with a right knee injury—and as of today Djokovic trails No. 8 Frances Tiafoe (3,380) by 490 points with room to make a move this week in Basel and next week at the Rolex Paris Masters.
“It’s my first indoor match [this year] so I kind of expected to be a little bit rusty and a tough draw for the first round,” Djokovic said. “As I said: tough player, really quick conditions, so hard to break the serve and once you do you’re kind of under pressure with a player like him because he serves so well and he was super aggressive.
“It’s a big win for me, I know there’s quite a few things I can do better, but a win is a win and I’ll take that today.”
In his first Basel match in 15 years, Djokovic opened and closed the first game pounding aces down the T.
Two games later, Humbert rammed a forehand return winner for break point then outlasted the Serbian superstar in a baseline exchange, breaking for 2-1.
Facing break point in the following game, Humbert took an extreme wide serve stance near the sideline to curl the lefty slider serve out wide twice in a row consolidating for 3-1.
Though Humbert, wearing taping below his right knee, staggered into Basel with a 2-7 record in his last nine matches, the Frenchman was flying high in the first set. Slamming a forehand strike, Humbert held extending his lead to 5-2,
Serving for the set, Humbert hammered successive aces to seal the 44-minute opener in style. Humbert served 71 percent and pumped six aces against no double faults, whipping the lefty slice serve wide, in the first set.
Resetting, Djokovic saved break points to start the second set then stepped into a heavy forehand approach rattling out the error to break for a 2-0 second-set lead.
Asserting his authority in baseline rallies, Djokovic seized a 4-1 lead. Then Humbert took a medical timeout for an apparent back issue.
Serving for the set, Djokovic torched an ace then scorched a serve winner to force a final set after one hour, 36 minutes.
Though Humbert was still striking the ball well, Djokovic elevated early in the third set. Repelling the Frenchman’s wide serve, Djokovic was hitting deeper dragging Humbert into extended rallies. Winning successive baseline exchanges, Djokovic drew a netted backhand breaking for 3-2.
Basel fans chanted “Nole! Nole!” in celebration prompting Djokovic to offer an appreciative thumbs up as he sat on his court-side chair during the changeover.
The Serbian’s plum-colored Lacoste shirt was soaked in sweat as he staved off a break point then ran down a drop shot and countered with the re-drop to back up the break for 4-2.
On match point, flashed a forehand strike down the line to close in two hours, 29 minutes.
Djokovic owns an 8-0 career record over round of 16 opponent Jan-Lennard Struff.
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