Struff Defeats Djokovic in Basel, Keeping Federer's Title Record Intact
The 47th-ranked German ended the 39-year-old Serb's campaign with a three-set victory, while wild card Jerome Kym stunned top-seeded Ben Shelton in the same event.
By Sakura Novak ·
Novak Djokovic will not match Roger Federer's career total of 103 tour titles. The 39-year-old Serb lost to 47th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff on Thursday at the Swiss Indoors in Basel, dropping the match 6-7, 7-5, 7-6.
Struff, a 36-year-old German, secured the win on his third match point. His 27th ace of the match went down the middle, a shot Djokovic could not reach. Djokovic had previously saved the second match point with an ace of his own.
Djokovic arrived in Basel for the first time in 15 years. He won the 2009 final there against Federer, one of his 102 career titles. Federer, a former ballboy in the city, holds the record for most titles at the event with 10 victories. Jimmy Connors remains the only player with more than 103 career titles.
Top-seeded Ben Shelton also exited the tournament. The American lost to 222nd-ranked Swiss wild card Jerome Kym 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. The 23-year-old Kym typically plays only in main draws in Switzerland. He closed out the match with a backhand passing shot while running toward the net.
Shelton has lost to three opponents ranked in the triple digits this season. He also dropped matches to seven opponents ranked between 56 and 87. The No. 4-ranked American salvaged the second set when serving at 5-6 and the final set when trailing by two breaks at 5-2.
Kym will face Jiri Lehecka on Friday. The eighth-seeded Czech won his match 7-5, 6-4 against Daniel Altmaier. Earlier in the day, second-seeded Arthur Fils advanced to the quarterfinals. Fils defeated Alex Michelsen 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
Fils will play sixth-seeded Taylor Fritz in the next round. Fritz won his match 6-4, 6-3 against Denis Shapovalov.
