Swiss Indoors, Basel (Switzerland)
[3] Roger Federer (SUI) vs. [28] Alex de Minaur (AUS)
It was their first meeting and there was no competition. It was another dominant performance from Federer, who never gave his opponent any opportunity to get into the match. Federer broke de Minaur four times to claim the 6-2, 6-2 victory. This marks the tenth time that Federer has won in Basel, which makes it the second tournament that Federer has won in double digits; the other is Halle (10).
Of course, Rafael Nadal has won three tournaments more than ten times: the French Open (12); Monte Carlo Rolex Masters (11); Barcelona Open (11). He is one shy of winning Rome (another Masters 1000 event) ten times.
ATP & WTA Weekend Champions
WTA Elite Trophy, Zhuhai (China)
[10] Kiki Bertens (NED) vs. [14] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR)
Bertens led their head-to-head 4:1; however, Sabalenka was now more confident since she won their most recent encounter in Wuhan in straight sets. Although Sabalenka had won two titles this year, she had fallen out of the top ten; thus, her goal was to end the season on a positive note with a title.
Bertens also won two titles this season and would have loved to cap her year off by making the yearend WTA Finals; however, her erratic performance in the latter part of the season derailed her plans. Thus, she too was hoping to end her season on a high in Zhuhai.
This was all Sabalenka, who protected her serve the entire match and broke her opponent three times to claim the title 6-4, 6-2. Bertens never found her rhythm, perhaps the result of the cumulative mental and physical toll of a demanding season as a top ten player (her first full year as a top ten player).
Erste Bank Open, Vienna (Austria)
[5] Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs. [15] Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
Thiem led their head-to-head 4:2 and having won their most recent encounter, he was confident. However, Schwartzman took the early lead by winning the first set, but Thiem fought back. Once he saved the break point against his serve in the second set, the Austrian shook off the nerves of playing on home soil and never looked back. He won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 to claim his fifth title of the season.
SOURCE OF IMAGES: serveandrally originals
