Novak Djokovic has built a career on rising to the occasion, and the Serbian will have another opportunity to make a late-season statement as he targets a place at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Returning to the Swiss Indoors Basel for the first time since 2011, the former World No. 1 is looking to strengthen his bid for a record 19th qualification for the season finale. The 39-year-old, who faces Ugo Humbert on Wednesday at the ATP 500 event, is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.
Speaking ahead of his Basel campaign, Djokovic said that regaining his physical confidence had been his main focus after a challenging year.
“For me, to be honest, the primary goal really in the last 12 months was to feel better on the court because I struggled a lot this year with that,” Djokovic, who is 19-8 in 2026, said. “It's been improving. I'm feeling much better overall and if I feel better, I know I play better. I have proven to myself and others that I can still compete at the highest level.”
The Serbian has continued to deliver significant results despite those challenges, reaching the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-finals before capturing his 102nd tour-level title at the ATP 500 event in Beijing earlier this month. That triumph provided a timely boost to his season, and Djokovic will now look to carry that momentum into Basel as he seeks to close the gap in the Live Race.
Alongside managing his physical condition, Djokovic has adjusted his schedule to find a better balance between life on Tour and time with his family. His return to Basel — where he lifted the trophy on his debut in 2009 — offers another opportunity to compete on a familiar indoor stage while maintaining that balance.
“I have a revised schedule because I choose to do that because I need to balance things in my life: my kids and my wife and other things that I'm doing,” Djokovic said. “I want to dedicate myself more to my family and spend more time and not miss out, but still be able to fulfill my passion for playing the tennis at the highest level. And that's what's happening right now. I'm feeling like I'm managing it well.”
Djokovic has long enjoyed playing indoors, and he arrives in Basel with a record of 202-50 on indoor courts, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. With physical issues having made the season more demanding, the 39-year-old believes the conditions can help him maintain his energy and level throughout matches.
“I think throughout my career, I had quite a bit of success indoors,” Djokovic said. “I always liked playing indoors, and I think particularly now at this stage of my career, with some physical health issues that I had in the last couple years, playing in extreme heat is not really my favourite thing anymore. So playing indoors is better for me because I'll be able to have more energy, a sustained kind of feeling on the court, and I'll hopefully be able to perform well.”
The PIF ATP Live Race To Turin is heating up, with Djokovic needing a strong finish to move into contention for one of the five remaining places. #NextGenATP star Rafael Jodar, who is ninth in the Live Race, is also competing in Basel and has advanced to the second round. Alex de Minaur is 10th, 90 points ahead of Djokovic, and is through to the second round at the ATP 500 event in Vienna.
This week, Djokovic is aiming to win his 103rd tour-level title, with which he would equal Roger Federer’s all-time mark for the second most. The Swiss legend won the 103rd and final trophy of his career in Basel in 2019.
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