ATP Tour 500 – EUR 2.196 million – 21 to 29 October 2023

Wawrinka versus next-gen superstars

Can Wawrinka withstand the incoming wave of the Next Gen once again this year? This is the burning question around his duel with the high-fliers of the new era. The focus will be on the new stars in the tennis firmament, led by Carlos Alcaraz, the 19-year-old who became the youngest number one of all time last year, with Holger Rune, Casper Ruud and Félix Auger-Aliassime right on his heels. Across the net stands the Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, who at 38 is the oldest pro in the top 100 and is now once again the top-ranked Swiss player.

Crowd favourite Stan Wawrinka

Who could forget how ‘Stan the Man’ knocked the highly favoured Casper Ruud out of the tournament in the first round of last year’s Swiss Indoors? ‘Never before in my career had I felt so well supported as in Basel,’ said the Vaud native in an interview with NZZ. Today, the three-time Grand Slam winner says he’s back in form and ready for big things after foot and knee surgeries, as the five rings of the 2024 Olympic games in Paris blink colourfully in the background.

Alcaraz and Ruud in pole position

Marathon man Stan Wawrinka (ATP 78) naturally knows how tough his path to victory will be at the high point of the Swiss tennis calendar. He’ll face stiff opposition on every front, led by Carlos Alcaraz (ATP 2), who will contest his first-round match on Super Monday, 23 October. Close behind Alcaraz is Casper Ruud (ATP 4), whose perfect baseline game is reminiscent of Björn Borg. A finalist at this year’s French Open, the Norwegian has stood in the finals of no fewer than three of the last five Grand Slams, an impressive run of success.

Holger Rune, the cool contender

As previously announced, last-year’s Swiss Indoors finalist Holger Rune (ATP 6) is the third member of the top six in this year’s field. Rune’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou calls the Dane ‘a great match-winner’ who knows how to win. Though the 20-year-old’s fiery temper flares up on occasion, his cool demeanour, his style of play and his emotions make him a fan favourite. He starts his campaign in Basel on Tuesday, 24 October 2023.

Return of the title-holder

Last autumn, Félix Auger-Aliassime (ATP 11) caused quite a stir. First he defeated Novak Djokovic in the shadow of Federer’s farewell at the Laver Cup in London before going on to win three tournaments on the trot in Florence, Antwerp and Basel. The win in Basel, which was also the first by a Canadian, marked yet another historic moment for the Swiss Indoors. Now the 1.93 meter tennis pro is struggling with his form after a hiatus due to injury and is currently working his way back into match condition. The gifted athlete will benefit from the fact that he doesn’t have many world ranking points to defend at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Tickets can be ordered online via the Swiss Indoors website or the Ticketcorner website.