Taylor Fritz narrowly escapes against an impressive Valentin Vacherot in Basel

Pushed hard by the Monegasque, recent winner in Shanghai, the world No. 4 had to battle for over 2 hours and 30 minutes to advance to the second round. A 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 victory that speaks volumes about the American's mental toughness.

The marquee match of the day in Basel pitted Taylor Fritz, the tournament's top seed, against Valentin Vacherot, a wild-card entry and winner of the Shanghai Masters 1000 just under two weeks ago.

The Monegasque, highly anticipated for his return to competition, did not disappoint against the world No. 4, taking the first set 6-4. The battle continued in the second set, and it was in the tie-break that Fritz revived his chances, winning it 7 points to 4.

In the third set, Vacherot experienced a slight dip at 3-2, allowing Fritz to take the lead. The American thought he had done the hardest part with this break, but the world No. 39 managed to catch up immediately.

It was finally at 6-5 that the ATP No. 4 made the difference, winning 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 in 2 hours and 36 minutes. A tough battle that highlights the confidence with which Vacherot played, coming close to defeating one of the current top players on the tour.

Fritz will face Ugo Humbert tomorrow for a spot in the tournament quarterfinals. Vacherot, meanwhile, will continue next week at the Paris Masters 1000, having received a wild-card for the main draw yesterday.