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World No. 7 Carlos Alcaraz will compete at the Swiss Indoors in Basel this year for the first time in his career. Alcaraz joins a stacked field that includes Roger Federer, who confirmed his participation in his home tournament several months ago.
The Swiss Indoors is the third largest indoor tournament on the ATP tour and with a ranking cut-off of 50, is known to host an extremely competitive field. The event has not been held for the past two years owing to the pandemic, thereby missing out on its golden jubilee celebrations in 2020.
However, the tournament is set to return in October this year, with players and fans from around the world getting an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere in Basel.
The tournament's official Instagram handle confirmed Alcaraz's participation on Thursday, noting that he will play his first match on 24 October followed by a second one on the 26th, should he win.
Basel has a proud tradition of showcasing young tennis players on the rise. Alcaraz's idol, Rafael Nadal, played at the ATP 500 tournament for the first time in 2003 at the age of 17.
Apart from Nadal, Basel has played host to legends of the men's game like Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl and Stefan Edberg.
Carlos Alcaraz has come of age this season with four titles, including two Masters 1000 events, to his name. The Spaniard scored back-to-back wins over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic en route to winning the Madrid Open. At the French Open, the Spaniard was beaten by Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals.
Carlos Alcaraz could potentially face Roger Federer at Swiss Indoors
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will be making a return to the ATP 500 event this year. The Swiss maestro has lifted the trophy 10 times in his career and will be the defending champion heading into the tournament. He beat Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the 2019 final.
The 40-year old, who last appeared at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships, will play his opening match in Basel on 25 October. It is possible that Federer could face Alcaraz later in the tournament if both players make it far enough.
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