Novak Djokovic returns to the Basel Open for the first time since 2011, facing Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the opening round. The pair have met just once before, at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships in the fourth round. Djokovic dominated that encounter, winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to advance deeper into the tournament.
Humbert was only 21 years old during their Wimbledon clash and was in the early stages of his professional career. Djokovic later captured his fifth Wimbledon title that year, defeating Roger Federer in a five-set final on Centre Court. The Serbian champion described Humbert's performance that day as below his usual standard, though he acknowledged the young Frenchman's potential.
Should Djokovic defeat Humbert in Basel, he would face either Yannick Hanfmann or Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round. A potential quarter-final matchup could pit Djokovic against ninth seed Casper Ruud, against whom he holds a 5-1 record on the ATP Tour.
