Humbert, So Lethal on Indoor Hard Courts, Topples Top-Seeded Fritz in Basel

Top-seeded Taylor Fritz has won more matches than any other player on the ATP Tour since the start of the grass court season. But the top-seeded American had his progress slowed on Thursday in Basel as Ugo Humbert took him down in straight sets to reach the quarterfinal. 

Fritz took a 2-0 lifetime record into Thursday’s clash with the Frenchman, but the world No.24 is an absolute beast on an indoor hard court and his tennis matched his reputation as he improved to 10-1 on indoor hard courts this season, and 15-2 indoor hard courts since the start of his run to the Paris Masters final last year. 

The 6-3, 6-4 victory marks Humbert’s first Top 20 win of the season and his sixth career Top 5 win (6-7) – his first since defeating then No.2 Carlos Alcaraz in Paris last year. 

Humbert hit 20 winners against 18 unforced errors, including eight winners and three unforced errors in an exceptional second set. 

The 27-year-old saved both break points he faced and won 55 percent of second-serve return points as he broke the top American three times. 

Fourth-ranked Fritz drops to 51-20 on the season overall. 

Since the start of ATP player has won more matches than Humbert on indoor hard courts (21-4). 

Humbert will face Reilly Opelka, who took out Botic Van de Zandschulp 7-6(5), 6-7(7), 6-3, in a rematch of a match that was also played in the qualifying round (won by Opelka 6-4 6-4).

In other action Casper Ruud defeated Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 7-6(5), coming from a set down in both sets to set a quarterfinal clash with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

“It’s an honor to play Stan and it’s incredible to watch him play,” Ruud said of the 40-year-old. “He still plays at such a high level.”

Jaume Munar took out Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4 to improve to 3-0 against the American, while Felix Auger-Aliassime (d. Cilic, 7-6(2), 7-6(2)) and Denis Shapovalov (d. Royer 7-6(3), 6-2) also advanced.