Shelton survives match points in Basel battle
Under the lights of Basel’s swift indoor courts, Ben Shelton dug deep to salvage a vital win, his roar echoing the relief of a fighter reclaiming form, as young talents like Joao Fonseca charge into the spotlight amid the season’s closing push.
On the rapid indoor hard courts of the Swiss Indoors Basel, Ben Shelton fought through layers of doubt and deficit to claim his first victory since the US Open, saving two match points against Kamil Majchrzak in a 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(7) thriller that stretched two hours and 43 minutes. The 23-year-old American, whose left shoulder injury forced a retirement against Adrian Mannarino in New York and a swift Shanghai loss to David Goffin, leaned on his serve to navigate the Pole’s baseline solidity. This result lifts him further in the Nitto ATP Finals race, where he ranks sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, holding a 625-point edge over ninth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, the closest challenger outside the top eight.
In the first set’s tense close at 5-5, Shelton erased three break points with deep serves that skidded low, only to falter from 6-5, 0/30 on return as Majchrzak claimed 11 of the final 13 points through steady crosscourt exchanges. Blisters prompted a medical timeout in the second, yet he faced no break threats on his delivery, mixing one–two combinations with inside-out forehands to level the score and draw out the decider’s drama. The tie-break turned on sheer will, with the American trailing 4/6 before firing 44 winners, including clutch down-the-line backhands to deny match points and seal the upset on his second chance.
“It was such tight margins. He had the match on his racquet and then I had it on mine,” Shelton said. “Early in a tournament, on a court as fast as this, you are going to see a lot of matches of fine margins and you need to stay there mentally and stay tough and I did a great job of that.”
Shelton’s roar signals returning fire
Post-match, Shelton’s triumphant bellow aimed at his father, Bryan Shelton, in the stands cut through the court’s hush, a visceral release after months of rehab and rust. He varied his lefty serve placements—flattening first balls down the T and kicking seconds wide—to counter Majchrzak‘s returns, incorporating slice approaches to disrupt rhythm and create openings for net rushes. This grit, honed from last year’s run to the Basel final, positions him well against Jaume Munar next, where sustained aggression on these low-bouncing surfaces could build the momentum needed to widen his Turin lead, especially with Auger-Aliassime also navigating the draw.
“He served great, dealt with my serve great and played tough from the baseline,” Shelton noted of his foe. “It is the first match that I have won since getting injured and I am just really happy I was able to get some momentum.” The mental reset here, amid the tournament’s early volatility, underscores how Basel’s pace amplifies fine edges, rewarding those who blend power with patience as the season nears its climax.
Fonseca charges net for youthful upset
Earlier, Joao Fonseca toppled defending champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(6), 6-3, emerging as the youngest match winner at this ATP 500 since Denis Shapovalov in 2017. The 19-year-old Brazilian, riding high from his Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF crown and a Buenos Aires title that vaulted him into the top 50, pressed forward relentlessly, winning 72 per cent (21/29) of net points with heavy forehands that lured the Frenchman into volleys. His 22-15 season record reflects a poised transition to the main tour, where he now eyes a second-round clash with Jakub Mensik, pitting aggressive net play against flat groundstrokes in a generational showdown.
Fonseca’s inside-in forehands opened angles on the quick court, varying pace with underspin slices to force errors in the second set and neutralize Mpetshi Perricard’s power. This debut poise at Basel, blending baseline depth with forward momentum, signals his readiness for end-of-year pressure, potentially extending his surge if he maintains that 72 per cent net efficiency against Mensik’s pace.
Veterans grind through Basel’s early tests
Marin Cilic steadied his late-season form with a 7-6(9), 7-5 win over lucky loser Goffin, balancing their 5-5 head-to-head after an earlier qualifying triumph in Basel. The Croatian mixed topspin lobs with down-the-line passes in extended rallies, preserving serve to set up a meeting with the Auger-Aliassime or Gabriel Diallo victor, where his experience on fast indoors could fuel a deeper push. Reilly Opelka dispatched Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-4, towering over points with his serve, while Valentin Royer outlasted Raphael Collignon 6-4, 7-6(5) through resilient returns and tie-break focus.
These advances highlight Basel’s demand for adaptive shot-making, from Cilic’s slice variations to Opelka’s one–two dominance, injecting underdog energy into a draw alive with comeback narratives. As the field tightens, such tactical edges promise escalating tension, with Shelton’s survival and Fonseca’s boldness hinting at breakthroughs that could reshape the race to Turin.
