Alcaraz faces tough Vienna draw; Djokovic’s ATP Finals hopes hang in balance in Basel

ATP Finals race intensifies as Vienna and Basel draws take shape

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Returning to Vienna for the first time since 2021, Carlos Alcaraz faces a challenging draw at the Erste Bank Open, with little time to find his feet on indoor hard courts. The Spaniard will open his campaign against Karen Khachanov, who reached the US Open semifinals last month.

Alcaraz accepted a wildcard for the ATP 500 event as he looks to bounce back from a shock third-round exit against Zizou Bergs at the Shanghai Masters.

The Spaniard will be wary of the threat posed by the seven-time tour titlist, but he has beaten Khachanov in all six of their previous meetings. Should he extend that unbeaten run, Alcaraz would face either Nikoloz Basilashvili or home wildcard Jurij Rodionov in the second round.

Seventh seed Tommy Paul is a potential quarterfinal opponent, while in-form Daniil Medvedev could await in the semifinals. Medvedev, meanwhile, will be vying for the Almaty Open title on Sunday.

Top seed Alexander Zverev occupies the other half of the draw, with a Vienna title potentially strengthening his bid to reach the top of the world rankings.

Three players in the hunt for places at the Nitto ATP Finals — Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe — feature on the same side of the draw. Tiafoe could potentially meet Zverev in the quarterfinals, but faces a tough opening test against Lorenzo Musetti. Cobolli, meanwhile, begins against Grigor Dimitrov. De Minaur has a qualifier in his opening match.

Djokovic returns to Basel

Novak Djokovic has arrived in Basel for a late push to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, although his chances depend on results beyond his own. The Serbian, who stands 11th in the ATP Finals race, returns to the tournament for the first time since winning the title on his debut in 2009.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion will begin against French left-hander Ugo Humbert, a potentially tricky opponent on indoor hard courts. Four of Humbert’s seven career titles have come indoors, and he also beat Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 Shanghai Masters final.

Should Djokovic negotiate the opening rounds, he could face Ben Shelton in the semifinals. The American, who reached the US Open final last month, will be looking to bounce back after an early exit in Shanghai.

Shelton was initially drawn to face 14-time ATP Tour titlist Casper Ruud, but Alexander Bublik’s withdrawal changed the first-round match-up, leaving Shelton to face a lucky loser. The revised draw also affects Djokovic’s potential route through the tournament, for he could now face Ruud in the quarters.

Four other players chasing places at the Nitto ATP Finals feature in the bottom half of the draw: seventh-placed Arthur Fils, ninth-placed Rafael Jodar, 13th-placed Taylor Fritz and 16th-placed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Fils opens against big-serving Pole Hubert Hurkacz, while Fritz gets an early chance to avenge his recent defeat to Stefanos Tsitsipas. The Greek beat the American in three sets at the Shanghai Masters a fortnight ago.

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