Fresh Federer Faces Del Potro In 2012 Basel Title Rematch; Ferrer In Valencia Final
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For the second straight year hometown hero Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro will square off in the Basel final after both earned tough three set semifinal wins on Saturday.
Federer, who lost to Del Potro last year in the Basel championship match 7-6, 4-6, 6-3, edged Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5. The 23-year-old Canadian was seeking a first career ATP final and led Federer 3-1 in the third before the Swiss stormed back.
“I was maybe a bit down, a bit tough with myself at the beginning of the third,” said Federer who failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the second. “I think that is also why I got broken. It had nothing to do with actual playing.”
Earlier Del Potro advanced to his sixth final of the year with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
Federer has beaten Del Potro 13 of 17 times but the Argentine has won the last two
“Tomorrow in the final, I have to play well for sure,” said Del Potro. “It’s going to be [an] interesting final for me.
“Against Federer, it doesn’t matter what he says. He’s Roger Federer. He’s playing in his hometown and on this surface. He’s very good on this surface. He has experience. He’s won here five times. He’s looking forward to winning again and to qualify in London with a win here. If I play much better than I did today and serve well, I know the way to make things complicated for him. In the final, anything can happen.”
Federer hasn’t won a title since June in Halle, his lone win of the year. If he wins tomorrow he’ll also assure himself a spot in the London finals.
“It’s all coming together nicely at the right time because I want to finish the year strong,” said Federer.
“Winning any match is a good thing right now. It’s not like other years, where I’ve played many matches. I don’t feel like it’s the end of the season physically or mentally, because I did have a four-week break after the US Open.”
In Valencia, David Ferrer beat countryman Nicolas Almagro to reach the final where he’ll meet Mikhail Youzhny in an all 30-plus final.
“Youzhny is a good player,” said Ferrer. “He has a good backhand and also slices the ball very well. It will be a close final.”
The Russian was a winner over countryman Dmitry Tursunov.
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