Felix Auger-Aliassime beats Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets to defend Swiss Indoors title

Felix Auger-Aliassime successfully defended his Swiss Indoors title with a straight sets-victory in the final against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in Basel on Sunday afternoon.

The victory, 7-6(3) 7-6(5), was his first title win since last year’s event and his fifth career ATP singles title.

Auger-Aliassime was given a wildcard entry to the tournament as defending champion. He beat fellow wildcard Leandro Riedi in straight sets in the first round, Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp likewise in the second. Russian qualifier Alexander Shevchenko proved a tougher opponent, requiring three sets and two tie-breaks to be dispatched. Top seed Holger Rune was swept aside in the semi finals.

No. 4 seed Hurkacz beat Croatian Dusan Lajovic and German Jan-Lennard Struff in the first two rounds, before recovering from a set down to topple Dutch opponent Tallon Griekspoor. Another three-set victory followed in the semi-finals against Ugo Humbert.

The first set was a hard-fought affair. There was only a single break point in the entire set, earned by Auger-Aliassime and defended by Hurkacz in the fourth game of the match. Outside that one moment, both players ably and rather comfortably won their service games. Inevitably, a tie-break was required. It was likewise hotly contested, but the Canadian won two points against serve to claim the first set after 61 minutes.

The second set was another close affair. Not until the ninth game of the set did a crack appear. Hurkacz almost dropping serve going 15-40 down before recovering to hold. He did the same in the 11th game of the set, once again hitting back to take his service game.

Midway through the set, Hurkacz began to struggle with a side injury.

At 6-6, another tie-break was required. Hurkacz won a crucial early point against serve but then dropped two of his own to give his opponent a 4-2 lead. The Canadian dropped one of his own though, as the momentum swung. When he closed out a pair of points on serve, Auger-Aliassime was 6-5 up and on match point.

Auger-Aliassime wrapped up the win and title on the following Hurkacz serve.

The victory in Basel draws a line under a difficult season for the Canadian in which he has slipped out of the ATP top 20.