{
  "id": 15063385,
  "title": "Djokovic gets Basel wild card as ATP Finals race heats up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/djokovic-gets-basel-wild-card-as-atp-finals-race-heats-up-15063385",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-16T22:42:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/racquet-sports/2026/10/1557158/djokovic-gets-basel-wild-card-atp-finals-race-heats"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Novak Djokovic has been granted a wild card entry for the ATP 500 tournament in Basel, as he competes for a spot in the prestigious season-ending ATP Finals in Turin. The 39-year-old champion, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, accepted the invitation on Friday. This will be Djokovic's first appearance in Basel since 2011, a year in which he won a record 102nd Grand Slam title in Beijing. However, he suffered a loss in his opening match at the Shanghai Masters. Djokovic, despite being a seven-time ATP Finals champion, currently stands at 11th in the Race to Turin standings, qualifying only for the top eight players. Djokovic had initially planned to focus on the Paris Masters before the ATP Finals, but his plans were disrupted after the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia was postponed due to attacks by Yemen's Houthis. Only Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz have secured their spots for the Turin event, with six places still open.",
  "summary": "PARIS: Novak Djokovic has accepted a wild card for the ATP 500 tournament in Basel later this month as the 39-year-old battles to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, organisers announced on Friday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Japan Today",
        "title": "Djokovic gets Basel wild card as ATP Finals race heats up",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/djokovic-gets-basel-wild-card-as-atp-finals-race-heats-up",
        "published": "2026-10-16T20:47:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Djokovic returns to Basel in ATP Finals bid",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/djokovic-returns-to-basel-in-atp-finals-bid",
        "published": "2026-10-16T21:41:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}