ATP Roundup: Felix Auger-Aliassime Defends Basel Title

Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) hits a ball to Max Purcell (not pictured) at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto on Aug. 8, 2023. John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports via Field Level Media

With a 7–6 (3), 7–6 (5) victory over No. 4 seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland on Sunday, sixth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada repeated as champion at Swiss Indoors Basel.

Auger-Aliassime entered the week 17–18 on tour but lost only one set at the event in his first 2023 tournament final appearance.

Displaying a dominant serve, Auger-Aliassime lost just nine service points in the match and closed the first set with a backhand return that Hurkacz couldn’t handle.

Hurkacz appeared to be dealing with a left leg injury early in the second set but did not call for the trainer. He saved all five break points—four in the second set alone—and briefly led during the second-set tiebreaker. But Auger-Aliassime rebounded to seal the victory with another big backhand return.

Erste Bank Open

For the second time this season, Jannik Sinner of Italy defeated Daniil Medvedev in a tournament final, this time posting a 7–6 (7), 4–6, 6–3 victory to dethrone the top-seeded Russian as tournament champion in Vienna, Austria.

The second-seeded Sinner, who beat Medvedev for the first time in the China Open final earlier this month, won for the fourth time on this season’s tour.

Medvedev finished with 13 aces to Sinner’s five, but also had eight double faults—including five in the final set—while Sinner had none. Sinner also held the edge in winners 36–28.

In the decisive third set, Medvedev saved two early break points but Sinner took a 2–1 lead. In a lengthy fourth game, Medvedev defended nine break points before Sinner prevailed. Sinner had a chance to win at 5–2, but Medvedev again rallied before Sinner closed out the match.