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Djokovic Takes Basel Wild Card in Push for Title No. 103 and Another ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic will play the Swiss Indoors Basel for the first time since 2011 after accepting a wild card, chasing his 103rd career title and a 17th ATP Finals berth.

Published

6 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Novak Djokovic holding the Basel trophy in 2009

Novak Djokovic is adding a stop to his fall schedule. The 39-year-old has accepted a wild card into next week’s Swiss Indoors Basel, returning to the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2011.

Djokovic has played Basel three times before, winning the title in 2009 — when he beat Roger Federer in the final — and compiling a 12-2 record at the tournament. He joins a field that also includes Felix Auger-Aliassime, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz.

Two milestones are driving the late entry. A title in Basel would be the 103rd of Djokovic’s career, drawing him level with Federer for second place on the Open Era list behind Jimmy Connors’ 109. He is also fighting for a 17th appearance at the ATP Finals: he sits 11th in the Live Race and needs a top-nine finish, with Jannik Sinner’s season-ending injury opening the door.

The wild card caps a dramatic Asian swing. In Beijing, Djokovic won a record seventh China Open title — his 102nd overall and his first there since 2015 — beating Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals before Daniil Medvedev was defaulted in their semifinal and Alex de Minaur retired hurt in the final. At 39, he became the first man in the Open Era to win a tour title in 21 consecutive seasons. But in Shanghai he fell in the second round to Hubert Hurkacz, continuing a difficult year that included his earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades, a first-round loss at the US Open.

After Shanghai, Djokovic had planned to play only the Paris Masters before the ATP Finals. Basel, which runs October 26 to November 1, gives him one more chance to bank points — and to sharpen up on the indoor courts where he has won a record seven ATP Finals titles.

Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty Images

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Royal Jones

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Angel Reese’s Historic Night Powers Dream Past Valkyries 97-71 for 2-1 Finals Lead

Angel Reese had 21 points and 12 rebounds to become the first player in WNBA history with a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, and the Atlanta Dream routed the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the WNBA Finals.

Published

3 hours ago

October 22, 2026

Royal Jones

Angel Reese high-fives Jordin Canada during WNBA Finals Game 3

The Atlanta Dream turned their first home game of the WNBA Finals into a statement. Behind another commanding performance from Angel Reese, Atlanta blew out the Golden State Valkyries 97-71 on Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,099 at State Farm Arena, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and setting a franchise record for points in a Finals game.

Watch the official Game 3 highlights:

Atlanta’s defense set the tone from the opening tip. The Dream held Golden State scoreless for the first five minutes, and the Valkyries did not make a field goal until Aminata Gueye’s hook shot with 4:38 left in the first quarter. Atlanta led 23-15 after one and 46-40 at halftime.

Golden State made its push early in the third quarter, tying the game at 49. Reese answered personally, fueling an 8-0 run and capping it with a coast-to-coast driving layup. After the Valkyries trimmed the margin to 59-55, the Dream closed the quarter by scoring 12 of the final 14 points to carry a 71-57 lead into the fourth, then outscored Golden State 26-14 the rest of the way. Atlanta has now outscored Golden State 63-35 in third quarters across the series.

Angel Reese celebrates with Rhyne Howard during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. (AP Photo)

Reese finished with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. She is the first player in WNBA history to record a double-double in each of her first three Finals games, the youngest player ever with three straight double-doubles in the Finals, and she joined A’ja Wilson as the only players to post 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive Finals games. She also went 2-for-2 from three-point range; Atlanta is 14-0 this season when Reese makes a three.

“Time to take over. Do whatever it takes to win,” Reese said. “Everybody was just playing together. It’s fun when you win and you play with a great group. So it makes my job super easy.”

Rhyne Howard added 16 points and five steals, becoming the first player in league history with five steals in consecutive Finals games. Naz Hillmon scored 15, Isobel Borlase added 12 off the bench, and Jordin Canada finished with 10 points and eight assists. Atlanta shot 49.3 percent from the field, hit nine three-pointers and owned the paint, 44-20.

Gabby Williams led Golden State with 15 points, Tiffany Hayes scored 14, and Janelle Salaün and Cecilia Zandalasini added 13 apiece. But the Valkyries shot just 34.8 percent and committed 17 turnovers, which Atlanta converted into 22 points. “Sometimes, promises aren’t kept,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said.

Game 4 is Saturday, October 24 at 1 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena, televised on NBC and streaming on Peacock. Atlanta, playing in its first Finals since 2013, is now two wins away from the first championship in franchise history.