Five-time former champion Roger Federer continued his dominance over hard-hitting Canadian Milos Raonic with a 6-2, 6-3 win on Saturday to reach the final of the Western and Southern Open.
The 33-year-old Federer has now won all six career meetings against Raonic.
Federer’s victory set up a battle of the 30-somethings as he was to face Spaniard David Ferrer in yesterday’s final. Ferrer, 32, brushed aside Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-2 earlier on Saturday.
Photo: AFP
Federer has also never lost to the sixth-seeded Ferrer in 15 meetings, the last coming a week ago in the Toronto quarter-finals.
Federer won the first set against Raonic with four love games, but the pace slowed in the second as the pair stayed on serve. Federer broke for 5-3 and served it out a game later after just 68 minutes.
“Breaking in the first game was crucial,” Federer said. “It was more of a fight in the second set. I’m very happy with this match. I’m happy, but the final is tomorrow [Sunday] and I hope to do it again. This time last year I came to the event with no expectations. But many things have changed since then.”
“I’m happy the results show it. It’s much more fun playing this way. I’ve had a complete season so far and I hope to win another title,” he said.
Federer was a win away from his 80th career singles title and leads the ATP with 48 match wins this season. The Swiss owns titles from Dubai and Halle this season, and yesterday was to be his eighth final.
Spain’s Ferrer, seeded sixth, schooled Benneteau as the Frenchman played in his first semi-final at the elite Masters 1000 level.
He needed just 71 minutes to seal the victory and give himself a shot at adding a second title of the year to the trophy he lifted in Buenos Aires.
The Spaniard also reached the final at Hamburg this year, but he last played a Masters event final in November last year, when he lost to Novak Djokovic at Paris Bercy.
Ferrer was aiming for his 22nd career trophy yesterday.
“I played very consistently, and got the break, then I could play with calm,” he said, calling the match “maybe my best of the week.”
“I played without a lot of mistakes, but it was difficult to return sometimes,” he said.
Ferrer took a 4-1 lead in the second set, and while Benneteau put up a last-gasp fight, he was able to wait for the exhausted Frenchman to finally make an error on the fifth match point.
“I’m going step by step,” Ferrer said. “Tennis is always a surprise. When I looked in my quarter of the draw and saw Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga there, I knew it was not easy. But as they lost, I took my chance and got into the final. I’m trying to improve my game every day. Watching the top 10 guys is a great inspiration to improve also.”
In the WTA event, Ana Ivanovic overcame illness and nerves as she outlasted French Open champ Maria Sharapova 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 to reach the final.
The former world No. 1 was to face off for the title, at the last major tune-up prior to the US Open, against Serena Williams yesterday.
US top seed Williams moved within one win of a second pre-Open hardcourt title as she beat Caroline Wozniacki 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Ivanovic led by a set and 5-2, but fell victim to her nerves as the scrambling Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam champion and fellow former No. 1, fought back. Sharapova leveled the sets at one each as she clinched the second set with an ace.
Ivanovic had to be seen by the doctor in the third set. The Serb suddenly stopped at 15-all in the second game. She went to the sidelines and lay down for a few moments to receive treatment and then the match continued. Sharapova’s frustration level appeared to grow as the Russian struggled to get a grip on a game, which produced seven double faults in the third set.
Ivanovic saved a pair of Sharapova match points and finally held for five-all.
Ivanovic broke two games later to finally secure the emotional win with a backhand cross-court winner on second match point.
“Up a set and 5-2, I got tight,” Ivanovic said. “I was not moving my feet.”
“She’s a great champion and she used her opportunities. It was very important for me to get my composure back in the third set,” she said. “My emotions were all over the place. There were a lot of breaks in the final set. Maria is a fighter and never gives up. But I stayed calm. It was hot and humid and I felt sick in the second set. But the tablets I got from the doctor worked and I feel better now.”
Ivanovic and Williams were to play for the fourth time this season, with the Serb earning a win at the Australian Open.
“It will be a very tough one, but first comes recovery,” Ivanovic said. “It is fun to play her and test yourself against the best. It will be a quick turnaround.”
Williams, who claimed her 61st career WTA title at Stanford two weeks ago, is playing a third tournament in a row for the first time since late 2007. She improved her match record this year to 37-6 with the win over Wozniacki.
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