Guillermo Coria took a step closer to a place at next month's Masters Cup with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Alberto Martin in the first round of the 829,000-euro Swiss Indoors on Wednesday.
The top seed from Argentina admitted that booking a spot in the elite eight-man field in Shanghai, which begins November 13, is top of his thoughts.
According to preliminary calculations, reaching a final will see him past Andre Agassi with one final week of play remaining.
"I didn't play my best match, but I'm fairly pleased with my form," said the 2003 Basel winner. "Of course, my main goal is Shanghai, I'm really looking forward to qualifying."
Coria stands provisional sixth in the chase to China, struggling with second-seeded compatriot, fellow former Basel winner and fellow Masters Cup contender David Nalbandian, this week's second seed. Nalbandian, 13-1 here, faces a huge challenge in his opener against Croatian Ivo Karlovic, the 2.08-metre giant whom he defeated in the Madrid quarter-finals last week.
Coria won his ninth career title in Umag earlier this year and also reached the final in Beijing and at Masters Series events in Monte Carlo and Rome, where he lost all three times to Rafael Nadal. His win over Martin was his second this season after coming through in Monte Carlo in straight sets against the Spaniard.
Slovak fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty, December's Davis Cup final with Croatia on his mind, reached the second round over Argentine Juan Chela 7-6 (9/7), 6-2.
Britain was braced for an afternoon showdown between the generations, with 31-year-old sixth seed Tim Henman playing for the first time against teenaged pretender Andy Murray.
Henman, Basel champion in 1998 and 2001 and a 1999 finalist, last lost to a compatriot in late 1998 in Hanover at the year-end event, dropping a match in group play against Greg Rusedski.
Henman, now free of the back troubles which have plagued him for much of this season, has reached the quarter-finals or better in his seven previous appearances in Basel.
Murray is playing for the first time since challenging Roger Federer in the Bangkok final, then resting a hamstring injury.