Published20. October 2024, 9:33 p.m.
Tennis: Exciting Swiss Indoors, even without the superstars
The Basel ATP 500 tournament begins on Monday without Alcaraz, Djokovic or Sinner. But the plateau is worth the detour.
par<img src="https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=1200&h=1200&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=52c0d88cdcf54d9b778a8a20c9392c16" alt="Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime can become the first player since Roger Federer to win three consecutive titles in Basel.” title=”Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime can become the first player since Roger Federer to win three consecutive titles in Basel.” srcset=”https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=400&h=400&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=537c1db3abaf8c5b5a08764ac5dd587a 400w, https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=800&h=800&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=37cf4dbda8d61458c0e3550bf617cf2c 800w, https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=1200&h=1200&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=52c0d88cdcf54d9b778a8a20c9392c16 1200w, https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=1600&h=1600&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=034247731e076a47cf6f79fc66a7d268 1600w, https://image.20min.ch/2024/10/20/af5d59c5-7a35-426b-a96e-469756071f7e.jpeg?auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance&fit=max&w=2001&h=2000&rect=0%2C0%2C4000%2C2667&s=260966569f378d48b95e3d11100a54c9 2001w” width=”1200″ height=”800″/>
Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime can become the first player since Roger Federer to win three consecutive titles in Basel.
AFP
Carlos Alcaraz in the flesh, who answers us in the promiscuity of the mixed zone of the Halle Saint-Jacques. Memories of the fall of 2022, before the prodigy from Murcia, fresh winner of the US Open, became a superstar and won his three other Grand Slam titles. This weekend, he was in Saudi Arabia with Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic, chasing millions in an exhibition. The three men will not be in Basel, aiming for the Paris-Bercy Masters, the Turin Masters and the Davis Cup. But the Swiss Indoors table remains very respectable.
Talented but unstable player, Russian Andrey Rublev (ATP 7) will be one of the attractions of the week, along with Casper Ruud (8), Stefanos Tsitsipas (11) and Holger Rune (14). We can also count on Ben Shelton (17) and Arthur Fils (20) to put on a show, while Félix Auger-Aliassime (21), double title holder, can become the first player to win the tournament three times in a row since Roger Federer.
Wawrinka and Stricker have the wind at their backs
The idol of “Joggeli” has still not returned to the den which consecrated it ten times. Since his retirement two years ago, the public has been buzzing for Stan Wawrinka (quarterback in 2022), then Dominic Stricker (quarterback in 2023). Holders of a wild card, they return to Basel with the wind at their backs. In Stockholm, “Stan The Man” has just had his best week in 18 months. And in Sweden, “Domi” won two matches in a row for the first time since… last year’s Swiss Indoors.
The Swiss trio is completed by Jérôme Kym (21 years old). With two titles on the Challenger circuit this season, the Aargau native is the youngster on the rise. Winner of hopeful Henry Bernet (17) yesterday in qualifying, he will compete in his first major ATP draw.
