Fritz Cools Down Vacherot’s Flame in Basel: No Dream Come True This Time!
Auger-Aliassime and Ruud Stay in the Race for Nitto ATP Finals Qualification
October 22, 2025
Swiss Indoors Basel
Taylor Fritz edges out Valentin Vacherot in a thrilling three-set match in Basel on Wednesday.
By Jerome Coombe
Taylor Fritz had to weather the storm of Valentin Vacherot’s remarkable ascent at the Swiss Indoors Basel, but the top seed was determined not to become another victim of the Monegasque sensation.
In his first match since becoming the lowest-ranked ATP Masters 1000 titleholder in Shanghai, Vacherot showcased his bold, aggressive style. Despite an early challenge, Fritz found his footing for a gutsy 4-6, 7-6(4), 7-5 comeback victory in their opening round at the ATP 500 indoor hard court event.
After missing four set points while serving at 5-3 in the second set and losing his serve shortly after, Fritz gathered his composure, racing ahead to a commanding 4/0 lead in the tie-break. However, the rollercoaster nature of the match continued as Fritz relinquished a 4-2 lead in the final set, yet he rallied once more to secure a tense victory.
“As we progressed through the match, I understood why the conditions [in Shanghai] were so conducive for him,” Fritz commented on Vacherot. “Once the balls got worn out and play slowed down, he really found his rhythm and dominated. In the final game, I managed to break on fresh balls and regain control when the pace picked up.”
Vacherot, who was ranked No. 204 in the PIF ATP Rankings just weeks ago, surged through qualifying in Shanghai, stunning the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and clinching his first ATP Tour title. Now within the World’s Top 40, he couldn’t quite replicate that magic against the determined Fritz.
With a hard-fought two-hour and 36-minute victory, Fritz improved his flawless hard-court opener record to 12-0 this season, taking a step closer to re-qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals. Currently, he sits fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin, boasting an impressive 51-16 record in 2025, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Next up for Fritz is last week’s Stockholm finalist Ugo Humbert, who maintained his momentum with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Sebastian Korda. The Frenchman has excelled indoors, winning 14 of his last 16 matches, highlighted by his journey to the ATP Masters 1000 final in Paris last year and claiming the title in Marseille this February.
Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud both secured crucial victories on Wednesday in their chase for a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals. Auger-Aliassime triumphed over fellow Canadian and friend Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 7-5, while Ruud dispatched lucky loser Quentin Halys 6-1, 7-6(3).
Following their respective title wins last week in Brussels and Stockholm, Auger-Aliassime and Ruud have increased the pressure on eighth-place Lorenzo Musetti, who is competing in Vienna this week. Auger-Aliassime stands ninth, Ruud eleventh, with 10th-placed Jack Draper sidelined for the remainder of the season due to injury.
“Diallo is an incredible player,” said Auger-Aliassime, who has captured consecutive titles in Basel in 2022 and 2023. “It was challenging to play against such a good friend; it felt a bit awkward… I don’t think I’ve ever been this nervous at the beginning of a match. We constantly cheer each other on throughout the year, so it’s fantastic to share the court in a professional setting.”
In the next round, Auger-Aliassime faces qualifier Marin Cilic, while Ruud will go up against 40-year-old Swiss wild card Stan Wawrinka, who won their only previous meeting at this event in 2022.
Lucky Botic van de Zandschulp also advanced to the second round on Wednesday with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jiri Lehecka, who recently reached the finals in Brussels. Joao Fonseca moved to the quarter-finals as NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik had to withdraw from their matchup due to a left foot injury.
