Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) – Monegasque Valentin Vacherot (31st) won the ATP 500 in Basel on Sunday, the second title of his career, beating Czech Jiri Lehecka (21st) in the final 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 18:01

Vacherot is a warrior! Asphyxiated in the first set, he gradually regained control of the match to achieve, at 27, this second success in two finals on the main circuit, after his surprise victory at the Masters 1000 in Shanghai in 2025.

For Lehecka, 24, this defeat is the seventh of his career in a final, the fifth in a row, for two victories in 2024.

To win in Basel, Vacherot beat a spectacular lineup of opponents with, in order: the great Spanish hope Rafael Jodar (11th), beaten after three hours of fighting, the former world number 4 Holger Rune who fell beyond 1,000th place after an injury, and the American Taylor Fritz (13th) in the semi-final, against all predictions.

The Monegasque now leads 2 victories to one in his confrontations with Lehecka. The Czech devoured him whole (6-4, 6-2) during their last meeting at the beginning of October, in the semi-final in Tokyo.

The first set on Sunday also suggested that the nightmare scenario of Japan could repeat itself for Vacherot, as the Czech almost never let him breathe. Lehecka only conceded one point in his first three service games, and was superior in all areas of the game.

Vacherot came close to being penalized by conceding a break point at the start of the second set. But he finally won his serve and then moved on.

The scenarios of the last two sets were almost identical: a break was enough each time for the Monegasque, who then never loosened his grip. He concluded on his first match point.

© 2026 AFP

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