Basel (Switzerland) (AFP) - Valentin Vachero from Monaco, ranked 31st in the world, was crowned champion of the Swiss Basel Tennis Tournament (500 points) by defeating Czech Jiri Lehička, ranked 21st in the world, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Sunday in the final match, achieving the second title in his professional career.

Published on: 01/11/2026 - 18:13

Vachero proved once again that he is a real fighter. After appearing helpless in the first set and being subjected to great pressure from his opponent, he gradually succeeded in regaining the initiative and controlling the match, and at the age of twenty-seven he achieved his second title out of two final matches at the main tournament level, after his surprise crowning of the title of the Shanghai Masters 1000 Points in 2025.

On the other hand, Lehička (24 years old) suffered his seventh loss in the final matches during his career, and the fifth in a row, in exchange for two titles he won in 2024.

Vachereau made his way to the title in Basel through a series of remarkable victories, as he successively defeated the rising Spanish talent, Rafael Khodar, ranked 11th in the world, after a confrontation that lasted three hours, and then the Danish Holger Rohné, formerly ranked fourth in the world, who fell below 1000th place due to injury, before surprising American Taylor Fritz (13th in the world) in the semi-finals.

Vachero raised his score to two victories versus one defeat in his direct confrontations against Lihička. The Czech clearly outperformed him 6-4 and 6-2 in their last meeting at the beginning of last October in the semi-finals of the Tokyo tournament.

It seemed at the beginning of Sunday's final that the harsh scenario that Vachero was subjected to in Japan might be repeated, after Lehiczka imposed almost complete control over the first set, losing only one point on his serve during his first three games, excelling in various aspects of the game.

Vachero almost suffered a new blow when he faced a break ball at the beginning of the second set, but he succeeded in holding his serve and then set off strongly towards the comeback.

The scenario in the second and third sets was very similar, as one break of serve was enough in each of them to give the advantage to Vachero, who did not allow his opponent to return after that.

The emirate player decided the match with the first opportunity available to him to win, and was crowned with a new title that confirms his continued rise on the global stage.

© 2026 AFP

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