Djokovic rallies past Humbert in Basel opener

Novak Djokovic rallied from a set down to defeat Ugo Humbert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Swiss Indoors in Basel, keeping his bid to qualify for the ATP Finals alive. The match was Djokovic’s first appearance at the tournament since 2011. Humbert took the opening set, but Djokovic broke early in the second and went on to level the match. He then secured the deciding set to complete the comeback. One report said the contest lasted two hours and 29 minutes; another described it as lasting about two and a half hours. Djokovic said Humbert’s aggressive play put him under pressure from the start and that he needed time to adjust. He also said Basel was his first indoor match of the season and that he had expected some rust. After the match, he described the victory as a big win. The result leaves Djokovic in the race for the ATP Finals in Turin, where the top eight players qualify. His exact post-match position and points total were reported differently: one account placed him 10th with 2,890 points, while another placed him 11th and 319 points behind Rafael Jodar, who was occupying the final qualifying position. The reports do not establish which standings figure is...