Djokovic stunned by Struff in Basel, drops to 11th in ATP Finals race and 319 points off a Turin place
Novak Djokovic lost to Jan-Lennard Struff for the first time in nine meetings at Basel and fell to 11th in the race, 319 points behind Turin's last place.
At a glance
- Struff beat Djokovic 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) in the Swiss Indoors second round, his first win over him in nine meetings.
- Djokovic is now 11th in the ATP Finals race, 319 points behind Rafael Jodar, who holds the last place.
- Top seed Ben Shelton also lost, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-1) to world No. 222 wildcard Jerome Kym.
- Djokovic can still recover at the Paris Masters; the ATP Finals run in Turin from November 15 to 22.
Novak Djokovic's run to a record 19th ATP Finals is in trouble after he lost to Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel on Thursday. The German, ranked 27th, won 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), having lost all eight of their previous meetings. The defeat leaves Djokovic, 39, 11th in the qualifying race and outside the top 10 for the first time since 2018.
Djokovic was playing in Basel for the first time in 15 years, and had expected some rust after beating Ugo Humbert the day before. It proved a bigger problem than that against an opponent who went for his shots from the start.
Struff said afterwards that the only way to play Djokovic was to attack, and that he knew he needed his best tennis. "The last eight times he beat me very, very easily," he said.
The arithmetic for Turin
Eight players go to the ATP Finals, which run in Turin from November 15 to 22. Because Jannik Sinner is injured and will not play, the last place goes to whoever is ninth. Today that is Rafael Jodar, 319 points clear of Djokovic.
| ATP Finals race | Position |
|---|---|
| Alexander Zverev | Qualified |
| Carlos Alcaraz | Qualified |
| Ben Shelton | Qualified |
| Jannik Sinner | Injured, will not take part |
| Rafael Jodar | 9th, holds the last place |
| Novak Djokovic | 11th, 319 points behind Jodar |
The Paris Masters in November is his clearest route back. A deep run there could change things, though other players will be chasing the same points.
What Djokovic has on the line
Djokovic has won the season finale a record seven times, and a 19th appearance would take him clear of Roger Federer. He has missed the last two editions through injury; the last time he failed to qualify on merit was 2017, when injury also cut his season short.
He remains the men's record holder with 24 Grand Slam titles.
A second upset: Shelton falls to a wildcard ranked 222nd
Basel's top seed went out too. Ben Shelton, already sure of his Turin place, lost 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-1) to Swiss wildcard Jerome Kym, ranked 222nd in the world.
Djokovic's next stop is Paris, where the final places in the Turin field are likely to be settled.
Questions people are asking
Can Djokovic still qualify for the 2026 ATP Finals?
Yes, but it is harder. He is 11th in the race and 319 points behind ninth-placed Rafael Jodar, who holds the last spot because Jannik Sinner is injured. The Paris Masters is his next chance to gain ground.
