Novak Djokovic, a surprising choice: the (paradoxical) comparison with Jannik Sinner begins

Novak Djokovic has decided to change his plans. The Serbian champion will in fact be competing in the ATP 500 in Basel, a tournament that was not originally on his schedule. This surprising decision stems from the need to earn valuable points in the Race and keep alive his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, scheduled for November 15–22.

The results from the Shanghai Masters 1000 were the main factor in changing the landscape. Rafael Jodar, thanks to reaching the semifinals after eliminating Casper Ruud, managed to overtake Djokovic in the Race, as did Alex de Minaur. Basel thus represents a crucial step for the former world No. 1, who cannot afford any further missteps at this decisive stage of the season.

The Swiss Indoors will take place from October 24 to November 1 and will be immediately followed by the Paris Masters 1000, the last major ATP event of the year before the Finals. This broader context also includes the postponement until late December of the Six Kings Slam, the highly lucrative exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia—a decision that has made it possible for Djokovic to add another tournament to his schedule.

Nole’s decision has prompted several fans to draw a somewhat paradoxical comparison with Jannik Sinner. During his rise to the top of world tennis, the Italian was in fact required to consistently compete in ATP 500 and 250 tournaments to accumulate points, improve his ranking, and aim for the Finals. Djokovic, on the other hand, was accustomed to a much more selective schedule, focused primarily on the Grand Slams and the Masters 1000 events.

Today, however, it is the Serbian who finds himself in the position of having to expand his schedule to defend his chances of qualifying for Turin. Incidentally, the Serbian hasn’t played in Basel (Roger Federer’s hometown) in a full fifteen years, and his only appearances there date back to the 2009–2011 period. On his first visit, he even managed to win the title by defeating Federer in the final, while the following year, the Swiss player got his revenge. In 2011, however, the Serbian’s run came to an end in the semifinals against Kei Nishikori.