Novak Djokovic’s bid to reach the ATP Finals has taken a major hit after Jan-Lennard Struff beat him for the first time, knocking the Serbian out of the Swiss Indoors Basel.
Struff won 6-7(4), 7-5, 7-6(5) in two hours and 36 minutes on Thursday night in Basel to reach the quarter-finals, the ATP Tour reported.
Djokovic had won all eight of their previous tour-level meetings, but the 36-year-old German served 27 aces, including one down the T on match point, and saved all six break points he faced.
What Struff said
“I knew needed to go for it. There was only one way to play it. So, I was very, very happy,” Struff said in his on-court interview.
“The last serve went in the corner like many balls today. I knew I had to play my best tennis to have a chance. Last eight times he beat me very, very easily. So, very, very happy and pleased with the performance.”
Djokovic won the opening set in a tie-break, but Struff levelled the match in the second set and then took the deciding tie-break, saving two match points along the way and closing it out with an ace, Tennis Temple reported.
Read more: Stan Wawrinka Retires After Basel Loss to Jiri Lehecka
Turin hopes in trouble
The defeat is a critical blow to Djokovic’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin.
Rafael Jodar, ninth in the Live Race to Turin, lost earlier in the day in Basel, which had opened the door for Djokovic to pass him by winning the title. Instead, the 39-year-old now trails the Spaniard by 319 points, with only the Paris Masters left before the season finale, according to the ATP.
Djokovic is tied with Roger Federer for the most ATP Finals qualifications in history with 18.
Tennis Temple reported that Djokovic also remains behind Australian Alex de Minaur in the race, and that he will have to make up ground in Paris, a tournament he has won seven times.
Read more: Alex de Minaur Beats Learner Tien to Reach Vienna Quarter-Finals
What’s next
Struff, who reached the final in Brussels last weekend, will play Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the Basel quarter-finals.
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