Basel Open shocker: Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov retire in quarterfinals as teen Fonseca, Munar, Humbert and Davidovich reach semis

Bassyonni

ago 3 hours

Basel Open

The Swiss Indoors in Basel delivered a dramatic Friday: Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov both retired from their quarterfinals, handing a semifinal slate to João Fonseca, Jaume Munar, Ugo Humbert and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. For Canadian tennis, it was a double gut punch; for the tournament, it set up an unpredictable “survivors’ Saturday.”

Auger-Aliassime exits vs Munar, Turin hopes take a hit

Chasing a late surge into the year-end championships, Auger-Aliassime stopped after the first set against Jaume Munar, trailing 3–6. The two-time Basel champion (2022, 2023) had arrived with momentum and a live chance to climb the Race standings, but the retirement dents that push. He began the day ninth in the live Race, within touching distance of the final qualifying spot, and had targeted Basel and Paris to close the gap. With Basel gone and the draw in Paris looming, every round next week now carries added weight.

From a tactical lens, Munar’s compact return position and depth to the backhand wing suppressed Félix’s first-strike patterns. Even in a short match, Munar’s ability to neutralize the opening blow hinted at a longer grind that never materialized.

Shapovalov stops in third set against Fonseca

On the adjacent quarterfinal, João Fonseca advanced when Denis Shapovalov retired deep in the decider with the Brazilian ahead 3–6, 6–3, 4–1. Shapovalov had started sharply—serving big, flattening forehands—and banked the opener before rhythm tilted. Fonseca, still a teenager yet already an ATP title winner this season, adjusted his return position, found more first serves, and began winning the longer exchanges through the ad court. By the third set, scoreboard pressure and the Brazilian’s improved depth flipped control.

For Shapovalov, who lifted trophies earlier in the year and had been trending upward, the retirement interrupts a useful indoor swing. The immediate questions are routine: fitness assessment, schedule adjustments, and whether to preserve reps for Paris.

Semifinals set: youth, grit, and an indoor ace leader

Saturday’s semifinals (Basel, hard court):

João Fonseca vs Jaume Munar — Not before 11:00 a.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. GMT
Ugo Humbert vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina — Not before 1:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. GMT

What to expect:

Fonseca vs Munar: A clash of styles. Fonseca’s first-strike forehand and athletic kick serve meet Munar’s attritional baseline patterns and backhand solidity. If the teen controls +1 patterns behind serve and protects his forehand corner, he tilts it fast; if rallies lengthen past six shots, Munar’s margins and depth grind become decisive.
Humbert vs Davidovich Fokina: Humbert has been one of the winningest indoor players of the past two seasons, thriving on lefty patterns—wide slider, inside-out forehand, quick backhand redirect. Davidovich brings twitchy athleticism, improved tie-break poise, and the ability to take early backhand returns down the line to short-circuit the lefty playbook. First-serve percentage and backhand width coverage will be the tells.

Why Friday changed the tournament—and the season arc

Open title lane: With multiple seeds gone and two retirements reshuffling the bracket, Basel’s trophy path is suddenly open to a first-time ATP 500 champion—or a red-hot indoor specialist consolidating form.
Race math for Félix: The retirement costs precious points in a week many circled for a deep run. Paris now looms as a must-perform event if he’s to book a second career trip to the season finale.
Momentum check for Denis: Shapovalov’s resurgence this season has ridden on shot selection discipline and improved second-serve tolerance. A stop mid-match is a setback, but not a derailment, if the physical issue is short-term and he’s able to reset his serve-plus-one patterns next week.

Basel Open snapshot: key numbers and notes

Quarterfinal retirements: Three of the four QFs ended early, an unusual cluster for a single indoor day.
Semifinal diversity: One teen (Fonseca), one grinder (Munar), one lefty indoor ace leader (Humbert), one elastic defender-counterpuncher (Davidovich).
Indoors edge: Historical form favors players who hold above 85% on quick courts; watch first-serve points won as the match-winner stat.

Semifinal winners return Sunday for the Basel title, then pivot immediately to the Paris Masters—where draw placement, health, and indoor form will carry straight over. For Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov, the overnight focus is recovery. For Fonseca, Munar, Humbert, and Davidovich, Saturday is a chance to seize a wide-open ATP 500 and reframe the season’s final chapter.