Swiss Indoors: Holder Auger-Aliassime reaches first final of 2023, dents Rune’s ATP Finals hopes

Defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime, the No 6 seed, outplayed Dane Holger Rune, the top seed, 6-3, 6-2 to move into the final of the Swiss Indoors at the Halle Saint-Jacques in Basel on Saturday evening.

Auger-Aliassime, ranked No 19, will face Pole Hubert Hurkacz, the No 4 seed, next. It’s his first final after a difficult 2023, and he’ll have the chance to retain the title he won so well 12 months ago.

For Rune, it’s a first defeat under new coach Boris Becker and also a slight blow to his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals, though he remains in the eighth – and final automatic qualifying – place.

The Canadian beat Swiss wildcard Leandro Riedi (6-3, 6-2), Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp (6-4, 6-2) and Russian qualifier Alexander Shevchenko (7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (1)) in the previous rounds of the Basel tournament.

Earlier in the tournament, Rune, ranked No 6, won against Serb Miomir Kecmanovic (1-6, 7-5, 6-3), Argentinian Sebastian Baez (7-6 (2), 6-1) and Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry (6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (6)).

Basel ATP500, other semi-final result (Halle Saint-Jacques, EUR 2.196.000):

• Hubert Hurkacz beat Ugo Humbert: 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (5)