Roger Federer and Andy Roddick will play out the latest installment of a tennis rivalry that began in Basel nine years ago when the all-star pair meet in a semi-final at the Swiss Indoors.
It was in 2001 when the pair of future world-beaters first clashed at the St Jakobshalle, boyhood venue for Basel-born Federer who got his start in the game as a ballboy at the event.
Federer, barely 20, won that encounter in three sets over the teenaged American. The 19-2 record of Federer in the series now includes three winning Wimbledon finals,the latest last year.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The pair set up their latest showdown as fourth seed Roddick defeated Argentine David Nalbandian 6-4, 6-4 and Federer hammered Czech veteran Radek Stepanek, 6-3, 6-2 in exactly an hour.
The win was the third easy victory of the week for Federer, who has yet to be tested.
“It is always tough playing Andy,” Federer said. “He is much better than the record shows. Indoors he is especially dangerous with his big serve. I will have to keep my level high if I’m going to win.”
Federer will take over as top seed next week in Paris after the withdrawal of Rafael Nadal because of arm tendinitis. The Bercy tournament starting tomorrow is the final event of the regular ATP season prior to the Nov. 21 eight-man World Tour Finals.
Roddick is in the chase for one of three remaining spots in the field among a pool of six hopefuls.
“We’ve played a bunch of times, we’ve been in this situation before,” the American said. “Playing Roger means you are far along in the tournament. As a competitor, you want to play the best, I always look forward to facing him.”
In the other semi-final, holder Novak Djokovic and fellow Serb Viktor Troicki lined up a pre-Davis Cup finals hit-out.
Second seed Djokovic easily dispatched Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-3.
Troicki, engaged in a friendly rivalry with teammate Janko Tipsarevic for the No. 2 singles spot behind Djokovic for Serbia in the Dec. 3 to Dec. 5 Davis Cup final in Belgrade against France, won a tune-up against Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-2.
Djokovic polished his perfect Basel record to 8-0 as he dominated Hasse, the world No. 66 who has come back from surgery in both 2008 and last year after starting the season ranked 451st.
US Open finalist Djokovic has maintained his level during the autumn, winning a second straight title in Beijing and losing to Federer in last month’s Shanghai semi-finals.
“I want to defend my title, but there are a lot of great players here all playing well,” Djokovic said. “Viktor is at the top of his game and playing some of the best tennis of his life. He just won his first title in Moscow. I’m playing well here. I want to finish the season well and go into the Davis Cup final healthy.”
Like the rest of his Serbian comrades, Djokovic cannot keep his mind off of the historic final.
“I’ve played every tie for last couple of years,” the 23-year-old said. “Playing for your country is a different feeling than in any other event. It’s the only occasion where you can feel the team spirit and proudly represent your country. We have something really special, great friendship off the court. This atmosphere gives us a lot of success.”
VALENCIA OPEN 500
AFP, VALENCIA, SPAIN
Sweden’s Robin Soderling put his title credentials on display with a 6-3, 6-2 domination of Frenchman Gael Monfils in the quarter-finals of the Valencia Open 500 on Friday.
With Andy Murray already out, Soderling is now the title favorite amid an impressive season where he finished runner-up at Roland Garros and reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Eighth seed Monfils won in commanding fashion at Montpellier last week, but the lively Frenchman was soon trailing a 4-1 in the first set and could find no way back against his hard-hitting opponent.
In the second set, Monfils struggled for a solution, before eventually losing 6-2.
Soderling will face fourth seed David Ferrer, who defeated Potito Starace of Italy 7-5, 6-4.
Frenchman Gilles Simon came through a grueling contest against Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 and will now play Marcel Granollers in the semi-finals.
Simon has emerged as Davydenko’s nemesis, beating the Russian the last four times they have met, but he will need to recover quickly before facing Granollers.
“This is one of the best matches I have played this season. I had to fight right to the end,” said Simon, now ranked 52nd in the world, but a former top 10 player.
Simon, who won in Metz at the end of September, eliminated one of the pre-tournament favorites in Fernando Verdasco in the last round and quickly broke Davydenko, who was struggling against numerous unforced errors.
Davydenko fought back after losing his serve in the second set and took Simon to a tiebreak, which he won 7-5. However, in the final set the mistakes which riddled his game earlier returned and he lost 6-3.
Granollers appeared to be on his way home after being knocked out of the qualifiers, but following an injury to Jo-Wilfred Tsonga he returned as a lucky loser and has taken full advantage.
Despatching Benoit Paire in straight sets in the first round, the 67th seed has now gone on to eliminate in-form Juan Monaco, who was fresh from victory over top seed Murray.
Monaco was clear favorite and had little trouble on his way to winning the first set 6-1. It was then, though, that Granollers, better known as a doubles player, began his fight back.
Monaco began to make more and more mistakes and Granollers took full advantage, winning 6-3 to take the match into a deciding third set.
Monaco looked in charge after breaking at 2-2, but Granollers responded by breaking twice as the Argentine faltered, winning the final set 6-4 to put him through to his first ever Open 500 semi-final.
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