Valentin Vacherot beat Rafael Jódar 7–6, 2–6, 7–6 in the second round in Basel. The Spaniard recovered after losing the opening tie-break but could not hold an early break in the deciding set. He also missed two later break points. The defeat halted his accumulation of points in the race for November’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals in Turin.
Valentin Vacherot defeated Rafael Jódar in the second round of the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament in Basel, Switzerland. The Monegasque won 7–6, 2–6, 7–6 in a match lasting two hours and thirty minutes. Vacherot took the opening tie-break 7–4. Jódar responded by breaking serve twice in the second set, which he won 6–2. The Spaniard then moved ahead by an early break in the deciding set, but Vacherot immediately broke back.[1], [2]
At 4–4 in the third set, Jódar reached 15–40 on Vacherot’s serve, giving him two chances to break. Vacherot saved both, including one with an ace. The set went to another tie-break. Jódar led 5–4 and had two points on his own serve, but errors on a forehand and a backhand volley allowed Vacherot to recover. The Monegasque won the tie-break 7–5. He finished the match with 13 aces, while Jódar had 10.[1], [2]
The defeat ended Jódar’s opportunity to add more points in Basel during the closing weeks of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals qualification race. The season-ending tournament is scheduled for 15–22 November in Turin. Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the rest of the season has moved the effective final qualification position down to ninth. The Paris Masters the following week offers another chance to collect points before the season finale. Vacherot’s next opponent in the Basel quarter-finals is Denmark’s Holger Rune.[1], [2], [3]
