Roger Federer will resume his Basel campaign during quarterfinal action on Friday, when he faces David Goffin. Richard Gasquet and Ivo Karlovic are also aiming for a spot in the last four.
(1) Roger Federer vs. (8) David Goffin
After dominating his first match of this week’s Swiss Indoors Basel 6-1, 6-2 at the expense of Mikhail Kukushkin, Federer endured a minor score against Philipp Kohlschreiber on Thursday. But the six-time champion improved to 58-9 lifetime at this event by holding off the German 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes. Federer, who is 55-9 for the year, is two wins away from a 10th consecutive appearance in the Basel title match.
Up next for the No. 1 seed on Friday is a third career meeting with Goffin and a rematch of last season’s Basel final. Federer triumphed with a 6-2, 6-2 victory as he improved to 2-0 in his career against the Belgian (previously prevailed 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 at the 2012 French Open). Goffin punched his ticket to the quarterfinals by taking out Andreas Seppi in three sets and Adrian Mannarino in straights. The world No. 17 is 36-22 this year, but this is first quarterfinal since finishing runner-up on the clay courts of Gstaad in early August. Goffin’s second go-around in Basel against Federer should be more competitive, but the crowd favorite is unlikely to have any serious trouble.
Pick: Federer in 2 losing 8-10 games
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(5) Richard Gasquet vs. Ivo Karlovic
Gasquet and Karlovic will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers and for the second time this season on Friday. The Frenchman improved to 4-1 in the head-to-head series by cruising 6-3, 6-4 a few months ago on the clay courts of Madrid. He has won three in a row since Karlovic pocketed his lone victory via a 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(4) scoreline at the 2011 U.S. Open. Gasquet is 2-0 against the current world No. 23 on hard courts, including 1-0 indoors.
Karlovic is essentially on his second life in Basel. The 36-year-old Croat trailed Stan Wawrinka by a set and a break in round one before storming back for a 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 upset. He is 38-23 for his 2015 campaign after earning a more routine 7-6(4), 7-5 win over Dusan Lajovic on Thursday. Gasquet is through to the last eight after getting the best of Jiri Vesely and Dominic Thiem. The fifth-seeded Frenchman raised his level considerably to win a high-quality showdown with Thiem 7-6(1), 6-4. Gasquet’s current form and past success against Karlovic point to another one going in the world No. 11’s favor.
Pick: Gasquet in 3
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I would like to see the replay of Sock and Young. Hopefully the tennis channel will show that one again.
So it’s going to be Sock and Fed, Gasquet and Rafa.
This should be good! 🙂