Roberto Bautista Agut and Carlos Alcaraz earned Friday quarter-final victories to send two Spaniards into the semis of the Swiss Indoors for the first time.
RBA’s 7-5, 7-6(5) defeat of Stan Wawrinka marked the end of home participation at the first edition after the retirement of Basel-born Roger Federer, a 10-time champion here.
Top seed Alcaraz defeated compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-4 to book his Saturday spot.
No Spaniard has ever won the Basel title, with Rafael Nadal playing a 2015 final and losing to Federer.
RBA had lost three previous Basel quarter-finals ans was glad to get over that hump to finally reach the last four.
“You live to play these kind of matches in front of a full crowd and against an unbelievable player like Stan,” the 34-year-old sixth seed said.
“It was important for me to reach the semi-finals, it was a good match, good fight.”
The Spaniard said that playing against an entire stadium of well-behaved Swiss was fair considering the reverse of the situation in his home country.
“The crowd was for Stan, but I wanted to enjoy a match with a full crowd.
“When I play in Spain the crowd is behind me.”
Wawrinka, who has never been past the last eight here, dropped to 2-3 in Basel quarter-finals with his defeat in two hours, 10 minutes.
Doping sanction victim Simona Halep has gone online to protest her own treatment by anti-doping…
Rafael Nadal lined up for what was to be the final match of his career…
Jannik Sinner took charge in front of his home crowd on Sunday, crushing ATP Finals…
Daniil Medvedev went into meltdown mode on Sunday during a highly charged 6-4, 6-3 loss, with opponent…
Jannik Sinner could well be missing from the opening European clay event of next season…
Rafael Nadal will bring down the curtain on his career next month as he plays his…