Vienna and Basel Draws Are Out: Alcaraz Gets Khachanov, Djokovic Gets Humbert, and Zverev Needs Two Wins for World No 1

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What are the Vienna and Basel tournaments?

Vienna and Basel are the two ATP 500 tournaments that dominate the last full week of October. Both run from Monday 26 October to Sunday 1 November, both are played on indoor hard courts, and both are the last big test before the Paris Masters, which runs from 2 to 8 November, and the ATP Finals in Turin, which run from 15 to 22 November. Paris is the cutoff event for the Race to Turin, so Vienna and Basel are the last chance for players on the edge of qualification to make a move. Vienna is the Erste Bank Open, played at the Wiener Stadthalle. The total prize money is reported at 2,797,985 euros. Basel is the Swiss Indoors, played at the St. Jakobshalle. Both tournaments have 32 player draws with no byes, so every seed must play from the first round. That is why the draws matter so much: there is no easy first match for anyone, and a bad draw can end a player's week on Monday or Tuesday. The draws were released on 24 October, and they delivered exactly what fans wanted: tough first rounds for the biggest names, emotional farewells, and Race to Turin implications in almost every section of both draws. Here is what matters most, starting with Vienna.

Why is Alcaraz against Khachanov such a tough opener?

Carlos Alcaraz, seeded second in Vienna behind Alexander Zverev, will face Karen Khachanov in the first round on Tuesday 27 October. It is Alcaraz's first match in Vienna since 2021, when he reached the semi-finals as a teenager, and it is his first match on indoor hard courts this season. It is also a much harder opener than a second seed would normally expect. Khachanov is a dangerous opponent on fast indoor courts because of his powerful serve and his flat groundstrokes, and he reached the semi-finals of the US Open in September. He also reached the Vienna final in 2024, so he knows this court and this tournament well. Alcaraz holds a significant head to head advantage, winning all six previous meetings, but their meeting in Doha earlier this year went to three sets, with Alcaraz having to recover after losing the opener. That is a warning, not a guarantee. If Alcaraz beats Khachanov, he could face Nikoloz Basilashvili or home wildcard Jurij Rodionov in the second round. Tommy Paul is a possible quarter-final opponent, although Paul must first get past Andrey Rublev, another tough first round. Daniil Medvedev is in the same half as Alcaraz, meaning Medvedev could face Alcaraz in the semi-finals. A meeting with Zverev would only be possible in the final. Alcaraz's Vienna campaign matters for more than just this title. He suffered a shock defeat to Zizou Bergs in the third round at the Shanghai Masters earlier this month, and he has not played a competitive match for more than three weeks. Vienna fills that gap cleanly, on the indoor hard court surface he will face again in Paris and at the ATP Finals. He is trying to win his fourth title of the season, and he is also trying to find rhythm before the biggest weeks of the year. A loss to Khachanov would not end his season, but it would leave him short of match practice before Paris.

How can Zverev become world No 1 in Vienna?

Alexander Zverev, the top seed in Vienna, needs two wins to become world No 1 for the first time in his career. If he reaches the quarter-finals, he will become world No 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, effective Monday 2 November, the same day the Paris Masters begins. That is a simple, clean target, and it is within reach. Zverev's path is kinder than Alcaraz's. His first match is against wildcard Martin Landaluce, with Tallon Griekspoor or Brandon Nakashima waiting in the second round if he advances. His projected quarter-final opponent is sixth seed Frances Tiafoe, although Tiafoe must first navigate a tough opener against Lorenzo Musetti. Zverev has already secured the year end No 1 ranking in a mathematical sense, after Alcaraz's early exit in Shanghai, but the live ranking has moved more slowly, held up by the points Jannik Sinner is still defending. Sinner, who won the Vienna title in 2025, will not defend it. He ended his 2026 season early because of a knee injury, and as his 500 title points drop off his ledger during Vienna week, the gap between him and Zverev closes to nothing. That is why two wins are enough: the points drop, plus Zverev's own wins, will put him top for the first time. He would become the first German player guaranteed to finish a season at world No 1, and the first player outside the Sinner and Alcaraz axis to hold that distinction since Novak Djokovic in 2023. Zverev's half of the draw also includes Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe. Cobolli faces Grigor Dimitrov in the first round, and De Minaur faces a qualifier. None of those players are easy, but none of them are the kind of first round landmine that Khachanov is for Alcaraz. Zverev's challenge is to handle the pressure of the No 1 target, not just the tennis. Two wins sounds simple. In a 32 player draw with no byes, it never is.

What does Djokovic face in Basel?

Novak Djokovic, seeded fourth in Basel, will face Ugo Humbert of France in the first round. It is Djokovic's first appearance in Basel since 2011, when he lost in the semi-finals to Kei Nishikori, and it is a return that has captured the imagination of Swiss tennis fans. Djokovic won the title in Basel in 2009, beating Roger Federer in the final, and he has a 12 and 2 record at the event. Humbert is a dangerous first round opponent, especially on fast indoor courts, because he is a left hander with a big serve and a willingness to attack. Djokovic will need to be sharp from the first point, because Humbert will not give him a gentle warm up. If Djokovic beats Humbert, Jan-Lennard Struff, who entered as a special exempt after reaching the Brussels semi-finals, could follow in the second round. Djokovic's Basel campaign is about more than just a title. He is 11th in the Race to Turin, and he needs to climb into the qualifying places. With Sinner out for the season, the effective cutoff is ninth place in the Race, because Sinner's place will go to the next player. Djokovic needs a strong week in Basel, and then a strong week in Paris, to have a chance of reaching Turin. He arrived in Basel in strong form after winning the Beijing title earlier this month, his 102nd career title, and he is chasing a 103rd title that would tie Federer's tally. The top seed in Basel is Ben Shelton, who has already qualified for the ATP Finals. Shelton faces Casper Ruud in the first round, a tough opener for a top seed, and his section also includes the most emotional match of the first round: Stan Wawrinka against eighth seed Jiri Lehecka.

Why is Wawrinka's Basel farewell so emotional?

Stan Wawrinka, the 41 year old Swiss three time Grand Slam champion, has chosen Basel as the place to end his career. He plays his final tournament in front of a home crowd, at the St. Jakobshalle, against Lehecka in the first round. It is a fitting farewell, because Wawrinka has always been a Swiss hero, and Basel is the biggest Swiss tournament outside the Grand Slams. Wawrinka's career includes three Grand Slam titles, an Olympic gold medal in doubles, and a Davis Cup title for Switzerland. He has been one of the most popular players on tour for two decades, known for his one handed backhand, his fighting spirit, and his ability to produce his best tennis on the biggest stages. His final match, whenever it comes in Basel week, will be watched by fans around the world, and it will be an emotional moment for Swiss tennis. The Basel draw also includes other notable first rounds. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, fresh from winning his first Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, faces Zizou Bergs. Holger Rune faces Quentin Halys. Alejandro Tabilo faces Rafael Jodar, the third seed. Taylor Fritz, the sixth seed, faces Stefanos Tsitsipas in a blockbuster first round. Second seed Arthur Fils faces Hubert Hurkacz, who beat Djokovic in Shanghai. Every section of the Basel draw has a story, and that is why Basel week is always one of the best weeks of the indoor season.

What are the key first round matches in Vienna and Basel?

The table below lists the most important first round matches in both tournaments, with the seeded player first where relevant. All first round matches are scheduled for Monday 26 October and Tuesday 27 October, with Alcaraz playing on Tuesday. | Tournament | First round match | Why it matters | | Vienna | Alexander Zverev v Martin Landaluce | Zverev needs two wins for world No 1 | | Vienna | Carlos Alcaraz v Karen Khachanov | Alcaraz returns to Vienna, Khachanov is a US Open semi-finalist | | Vienna | Frances Tiafoe v Lorenzo Musetti | Winner could face Zverev in quarter-finals | | Vienna | Flavio Cobolli v Grigor Dimitrov | Two former top players, both dangerous indoors | | Vienna | Tommy Paul v Andrey Rublev | Winner could face Alcaraz in quarter-finals | | Basel | Ben Shelton v Casper Ruud | Top seed against a former top 10 player | | Basel | Stan Wawrinka v Jiri Lehecka | Wawrinka's final tournament, home farewell | | Basel | Novak Djokovic v Ugo Humbert | Djokovic returns to Basel, Race to Turin on the line | | Basel | Taylor Fritz v Stefanos Tsitsipas | Two former top 10 players in round one | | Basel | Arthur Fils v Hubert Hurkacz | Hurkacz beat Djokovic in Shanghai |

When are the finals, and what happens next?

Both finals are scheduled for Sunday 1 November. The Vienna final and the Basel final will both be played on the same day, which means fans will have two ATP 500 finals to watch on the same Sunday. After that, the focus moves immediately to Paris, where the Paris Masters runs from 2 to 8 November and serves as the final cutoff for the ATP Finals. The ATP Finals in Turin, from 15 to 22 November, will feature the top eight players in the Race, plus the effective ninth place because Sinner is out. Only Zverev and Alcaraz had secured qualification before Vienna and Basel week, according to AFP reporting on 24 October, although other players have since qualified through their results. The exact qualification picture will change during Vienna and Basel week, and again during Paris week, so check the official Race standings on the ATP website for the latest picture. For Djokovic, the path is clear: win matches in Basel, win matches in Paris, and hope the other contenders slip. For Zverev, the path is even clearer: win two matches in Vienna, become world No 1, and then focus on Paris and Turin. For Alcaraz, the path is about rhythm and confidence: beat Khachanov, build through the week, and arrive in Paris ready to challenge for the biggest indoor title of the year. Vienna and Basel week is often the week when the season's stories come together. This year is no different. A world No 1 target, a comeback after 15 years, a farewell after 20 years, and a Race to Turin that is still open, all in one week, in two cities, on indoor hard courts. That is why this week matters, and why the draws released on 24 October are worth studying in detail. Related: WTA Finals guide and Djokovic Basel return. Sources: ATP Tour, Vienna Open draw, Swiss Indoors Basel draw, AFP, Times Now, Tennis Temple, Tennis Watcher.