The Serbian fourth seed recovered from losing the opening set to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 after two hours and 29 minutes on court. It was Djokovic’s first appearance at the Basel tournament since 2011.
At 39, the 24-time Grand Slam champion is chasing a record 19th qualification for the ATP Finals. However, he entered the tournament sitting 11th in the ATP Live Race to Turin, 319 points behind Spain’s Rafael Jódar.
Humbert takes the opening set
Humbert made an assertive start, putting Djokovic under pressure from the baseline and taking advantage of an early break to claim the first set 6-4.
The French left-hander maintained an aggressive approach, forcing Djokovic to work hard for his service games. The Serbian struggled initially to find his rhythm but remained composed despite Humbert’s strong start.
Djokovic acknowledged the difficulty of the contest after the match, describing it as an intense challenge from the opening point.
Djokovic responds to level the match
The former world number one raised his level in the second set, breaking Humbert early and building a 3-0 advantage.
His improved consistency from the baseline and greater control of the rallies helped him dictate the pace. Djokovic protected his lead and closed out the set 6-3 to force a decider.
The turnaround reflected his experience in high-pressure matches, particularly when facing opponents capable of maintaining an aggressive tempo.
Decisive break secures victory
The deciding set remained closely contested, with both players fighting to gain the advantage.
Djokovic eventually secured the crucial break in the fifth game. He then managed his service games effectively to close out the set 6-4 and complete the comeback.
The victory was Djokovic’s 20th match win of the 2026 season and kept him in contention for a place at the ATP Finals.
ATP Finals qualification remains the target
Djokovic’s victory provides an important boost to his late-season campaign. He won the China Open in Beijing earlier in October, securing the 102nd title of his career, but an early exit at the Shanghai Masters left him needing further points to improve his position in the Race to Turin.
Only the leading eight eligible players qualify for the ATP Finals, scheduled for 15–22 November. Djokovic has won the season-ending tournament seven times and is seeking another appearance after missing the previous two editions through injury.
His next challenge in Basel is Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 8-0, although he will need to maintain his improved level to continue his progress through the draw.
Match details
• Tournament: Swiss Indoors Basel, ATP 500
• Round: First round
• Result: Novak Djokovic beat Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
• Match duration: 2 hours, 29 minutes
• Date: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
• Djokovic’s next opponent: Jan-Lennard Struff