Rublev boosts ATP Finals hopes after winning his Swiss Indoors debut match

By The Associated Press

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Top-seeded Andrey Rublev has won on his Swiss Indoors debut and bolstered his hopes of qualifying for a fifth consecutive ATP Finals next month. No. 7-ranked Rublev accounted for Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-3, 6-2 on Monday. He is eighth in the race for the top-eight Finals. Rublev is trying to stay ahead of ninth-placed Alex de Minaur, who is playing in Vienna. Fifth-seeded Ugo Humbert fired 13 aces while battling past Swiss qualifier Jerome Kym 7-5 in the third. Humbert’s second-round opponent will be lucky loser David Goffin. Goffin had his own struggles to put down Matteo Arnaldi of Italy in three sets. Seventh-seeded Arthur Fils also had trouble with German qualifier Daniel Altmaier while winning in straight sets.