Roger Federer is one win away from the Cincinnati title and standing in his way on Sunday is a player who has never defeated him in 15 tries. The stage is set for a showdown between veterans Federer and David Ferrer.
Roger Federer and David Ferrer will be going head-to-head for the 16th time in their careers when they battle for the Western & Southern Open title on Sunday afternoon.
Federer has won all 15 of their previous encounters, including 10 on either hard courts or indoor carpet. He is 31-4 lifetime in total sets against Ferrer. The two veterans just faced each other last week in the Toronto quarterfinals, with Federer prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. They have squared off once before in Cincinnati, where Federer survived a 2009 third-round clash 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Both at least two years into their 30s, neither man is showing any real signs of a significant decline. In fact, each player is firmly on the rise this summer. Federer is 48-9 for the season and back up to No. 3 in the world after a disappointing, injury-plagued 2013 campaign. The Swiss finished runner-up at the Rogers Cup and has recovered nicely from a long week with Cincinnati victories over Vasek Pospisil, Gael Monfils, Andy Murray, and Milos Raonic.
Federer needed three sets to get past Pospisil and Monfils, but Ferrer flirted with an early exit to a much greater extent. The sixth-ranked Spaniard saved two match points in a 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(4) win over Philipp Kohlschreiber before making more routine work of Mikhail Youzhny, Tommy Robredo, and Julien Benneteau. Ferrer is 43-15 for the year and he has reached at least the quarterfinals in six of his last seven tournaments.
“With Roger, I (have) never beaten him,” Ferrer said after his semifinal and prior to the Federer-Raonic match. “So of course I prefer Milos. It’s normal. Anyway, tomorrow it’s one important final for me.”
Both players have improved with each match this week, so a high-quality contest can be expected. Federer will have had approximately seven fewer hours of rest since the completion of their respective semifinals, but he got off the court with lightning-quick speed against Raonic and should have plenty left in the tank. A five-time champion of this event, Federer has everything going for him in this matchup.
Pick: Federer in 2
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