Second-round action at the ATP Swiss Indoors continues, featuring six matches, with half of those having a direct effect on the ATP Race. Holger Rune, Taylor Fritz, and Casper Ruud are all seeking to qualify, but not many spots are left. So who will advance to the quarterfinal in Basel?
ATP Basel Day 4 Predictions
Taylor Fritz vs Alexander Shevchenko
Head-to-head: first meeting
Taylor Fritz’s first-round win over Max Purcell couldn’t have been timely, but the Australian will be livid at the lead he squandered in the first-set tiebreak. For Fritz, any slip-up this week will severely dent his hopes of qualifying for the year-end championships in Turin. Alexander Shevchenko, meanwhile, earned one of his best wins at this tournament, beating three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka in straight sets. For a player with modest weapons on this surface, it was a statement win that should serve him well in the next round. Fritz needs to develop a way of winning the simpler matches routinely and the feeling is it should start here.
Prediction: Fritz in 2
Nicolas Jarry vs Ugo Humbert
Head-to-head: Humbert 1-0 Jarry
Ugo Humbert saved a match point late in the third set to oust Marcos Giron in a hard-fought contest. Nicolas Jarry, for his part, survived a nailbiter against an in-form Adrian Mannarino taking over three hours of play to reach the second round. Jarry saved two set points in the first set en route to a 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 win. Both players have enjoyed a career resurgence in 2023. Humbert re-entered the Top 30, while Jarry broke the Top 20 for the first time following his quarterfinal run in Shanghai. The Chilean has a fine record against southpaws (5-2), but Humbert is one of two left-handed players who have stained on that record. The Frenchman has the full repertoire to force the Chilean to cover every inch of the court, limiting Jarry from hitting shots from his comfort zone.
Prediction: Humbert in 3
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Holger Rune vs Sebastian Baez
Head-to-head: Baez 2-1 Rune
It felt like lightning would strike again after Holger Rune dropped the opening set to Miomir Kecmanovic, the same opponent who added to the agony of his dismal run in Stockholm. But the Dane rescued the situation, overcoming an early break deficit in the second set to turn the match on its head. It was only his second win in 12 matches and a first under the tutelage of new coach Boris Becker who should be pleased with the resilience his young charge showed. Likewise, Sebastian Baez earned a come-from-behind victory over Christopher O’Connell, as he continued to tick the boxes on the self-improvement grid. His form on hard courts this year has been very impressive for a player who doesn’t have a strong affinity for the surface. Rune isn’t quite safe in the ATP Race to Turin, but Tuesday’s much-needed win might be the turning point in his quest to seal his place.
Prediction: Rune in 2
Main Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
