Denis Shapovalov has struggled with consistency this year, a recurring issue in recent seasons, but he has managed to offset those problems by winning two ATP titles, keeping him comfortably around the top 20 in the rankings. There are enough positives to view his 2025 campaign favorably, and if he can defend the points he earned with his title in Belgrade during last year’s European indoor swing, he could wrap up the season on a satisfying note.
Shapovalov made a significant stride toward defending his Belgrade title points by reaching the semifinals in his first European indoor swing event in Stockholm last week. There, he defeated underdogs Leo Borg and Elias Ymer before falling in straight sets to eventual champion Casper Ruud. That run boosted his 2025 season record on indoor hard courts to an impressive 7–1, including his title win in Dallas back in February.
The Canadian effectively rescued his struggling 2024 season with an impressive and unexpected surge in performance during the European indoor swing. He won nine of ten matches, reaching the quarterfinals here in Basel and claiming the Belgrade title as a qualifier.
Marcos Giron has historically performed well during the European indoor swing, and this year he showed signs of a revival by reaching the second round in Brussels last week. He ended a three-match losing streak on the main tour and returned to winning ways. However, he still has work to do on indoor courts in the coming days if he wants to finish the year with a positive win-loss record, as he currently sits at 21–25.
The American usually competes in Vienna during this week of the calendar and has reached the quarterfinals there in the past. In Basel, however, he has only played once before, in 2023, when his campaign ended in the first round with a three-set loss to Ugo Humbert.
Head-to-head: Marcos Giron leads 3–1. Denis Shapovalov has the talent to dominate in fast indoor conditions like those in Basel and can certainly outplay players such as Giron. However, as with any match involving the Canadian, his inconsistency and tendency for unpredictable off days mean that almost any outcome is possible. Giron can also enter the contest with confidence and the hope of pulling off a surprise result.
