Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro both earn three-set victories on Saturday in Basel. The result is a rematch of last year’s final.
(3) Roger Federer d. Vasek Pospisil 6-3, 6-7(3), 7-5
Federer survived a mid-match hiccup but recovered to beat Pospisil in two hours and 40 minutes during semifinal action at the Swiss Indoors Basel on Saturday evening. Pospisil’s first serve was a disaster for much of the match and it cost him right away with a donation of serve early in the opening set. Federer closed it out from there and soon found himself serving for the match at 5-3 in the second. Out of nowhere, Pospisil broke to stay alive and eventually stole the middle frame of play in a tiebreaker.
That set the stage for a similarly dramatic third set. This time, though, it was Pospisil’s turn to lose from being a break up. The 40th-ranked Canadian broke for 3-1 only to give the advantage right back by dropping serve at love. A crucial 11th game with Pospisil serving at 5-5 proved to be the difference. Federer missed his first three break points but also saved two game points before finally converting his fourth opportunity when Pospisil sent a forehand just past the baseline. The 32-year-old Swiss came up with some clutch serving to hold at 6-5 without too much trouble. Federer will bid for his sixth Basel title on Sunday against Juan Martin Del Potro.
(1) Juan Martin Del Potro d. Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Del Potro also stumbled mid-match before picking up the pace to hold off Roger-Vasselin in two hours and six minutes. The top-seeded Argentine had been in cruise control the entire tournament en route to the semis and more of the same continued on the way to a set and a break lead. Seemingly short on fuel and almost bored, a lethargic Del Potro suddenly collapsed. From 4-3 with a break in the second, he lost three consecutive games to throw away the set.
Roger-Vasselin, however, could not stand prosperity and never came close to finishing off what would have been a stunning upset. The 65th-ranked Frenchman quickly fell behind 4-0 in the decider before holding two relatively meaningless service games. Del Potro surrendered a mere four service points in the third set to close it out with ease. The world No. 5 is looking for his second straight Basel triumph after beating Federer 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(3) in last year’s thriller of a title match.
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