Novak Djokovic has recently confirmed that he would be returning to the Basel Open for the first time in 15 years, as he ramps up his unlikely effort to qualify for the ATP Finals.
It’s intriguing that, having secured his spot in the competition with relative ease over the last couple of seasons, this is the year when the 39-year-old has decided he wants to participate.
He remains very much in contention for one of the final few spots in the Race to Turin, but it is becoming increasingly unlikely. It would take a deep run in both Basel and the Paris Masters to see him leapfrog the stars still in front of him, with the top nine guaranteed a place after Jannik Sinner ended his season early.
As aforementioned, it has been well over a decade since we last saw Novak Djokovic feature in this iconic Swiss city.
With that in mind, it’s worth remembering exactly what happened in his most recent appearance, which came all the way back in 2011.
What happened the last time Novak Djokovic played the Basel Open?
Roger Federer is the greatest champion in the history of the Swiss Indoors event, so it should come as no surprise that he ended up winning the title that year.
However, his task likely would have been far tougher had he faced Djokovic in the final, but fitness concerns prevented him from going all the way.
Djokovic started as the top seed 15 years ago, with Andy Murray second and Federer third.
It was a star-studded field, and one the world number one at the time carved through.
He faced early competition in his opening-round match against Xavier Malisse, but crushed qualifier Łukasz Kubot next.
The standard took a dramatic increase in his quarter-final showdown, coming from a set down to defeat Marcos Baghdatis.
However, having endured a pretty gruelling week in the run-up to his semi-final with Kei Nishikori, the physical toll on his body was evident.
Djokovic spoke after his most recent Basel Open appearance, admitting that his shoulder injury made it so he could hardly serve.
He lost the third set by a 6-0 margin, and this marked Djokovic’s fourth loss of that year in 71 matches. He had won three of the four majors that year.
Who is playing alongside Novak Djokovic in the Basel Open this year?
Swiss fans will be delighted to see Djokovic accept this Basel Open wildcard, offering them a unique opportunity to see the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the flesh once again after so long away.
He joins an impressive cast of players, albeit it remains incomparable to that 2011 event where the Serbian last featured.
Other stars who plan to play include Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils, Rafael Jodar, Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
15 years ago, we had a prime Djokovic alongside Federer, Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Tomáš Berdych and Andy Roddick.
We have entered a strange and unpredictable part of the season, clearly, as players’ motives become clear. Carlos Alcaraz’s decision to take a Vienna Open wildcard marked another surprising move, with his motives clearly preparation rather than chasing a ranking.