Djoko secures winning return to Basel after 15 years away

Novak Djokovic came up a winner as the veteran played the Swiss Indoors for the first time since 2011, out-duelling Frenchman Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the second round.

Victory in two and a half hours keeps the 39-year-old in with a chance for a possible place in the eight man ATP Finals next month in Turin,

Djokovic stands provisional 11th at the event which will be missing injured Jannik Sinner.

As a result of victory, the Serb stands only 40 points behind provisional 10th-placed Alex de Minaur in the points race.

Against left-hander Humbert, 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic admitted he was tested to the limit on the fast indoor courts of the event held in the hometown of Roger Federer.

It took a third-set surge for the veteran- 2009 Basel champion – to get over the line and into the second round, where he faces German Jan Leonard Struff on Thursday.

“It was a super-tight match, very intense from the beginning,” the winner said. “He was striking the ball beautifully, taking time away form me and was super aggressive.

“I was under attack from the first point. I had to weather the storm.”

Djokovic had to stage a comeback against a player who took treatment for a back problem in the second set but played on to the end at nearly full strength.

“It was a tough set and a half before I began to feel more comfortable with his tempo,” Djokovic said. 

“I’m glad I was able to succeed and find a solution,”

He added: “this was my first indoor match and I expected to be a little rusty. He was super aggressive from all corners.

“This was a big win for me,” said the 500-level champion this month in Beijing.

“There are things I can do better. But a win is a win and I’ll take it.”

Djokovic remains the only former Basel champion in the field and stands behind Federer with 102 career titles to the 103 of the now-retired Swiss.