Nine-time champion Roger Federer eases past the No.3 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 to reach a record 15th final at the Swiss Indoors Basel 2019. With this victory, Federer also extends his winning run to 23 matches in his hometown – Basel.
Set one
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Stefanos Tsitsipas held a confident opening service game to love. However, Roger Federer started to trouble the Greeks serve in his next service game as he was 30-0 up and earned a breakpoint but couldn’t capitalize on it.
Stefanos Tsitsipas found another big serve to the second breakpoint. The Swiss maestro earned another breakpoint after timing his backhand return excellently but Tsitsipas saved it with a smash winner and hanged in after a lengthy service game.
Federer earns break point at 1-1, stroking a forehand winner for 0-30 and a backhand pass down the line for 30-40 – but Tsitsipas saves it with a service winner.
RF will have another chance, though … pic.twitter.com/poItaXJyq3
— Live Tennis (@livetennis) October 26, 2019
While Roger Federer held his service game quite comfortably and was looking dominant in the match. The 21-year-old gifted a breakpoint to Roger Federer with double faults and long backhand shot. The next-generation star went onto attack to draw a backhand error from the Swiss and saved the breakpoint.
However, another long shot from Tsitsipas gave Federer the fifth opportunity to break him but the Tsitsipas held his nerves to save another. Both players trade blows and it was Tsitsipas who slipped up first when he netted a backhand and Roger Federer finally got the breakthrough.
The Basel native then went onto held all his service games to serve out the opening set 6-4 in 44 minutes and get one step closer for a berth in the finals.
First set to the 9-time champion. 🇨🇭@RogerFederer serves out the opening set, 6-3.
Can Tsitsipas force a decider?
Live now→ https://t.co/tPoe44C26q#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/AvHTC7I5Cr— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) October 26, 2019
Set two
Roger Federer took the momentum in the next set as he broke Tsitsipas in his opening service game after Tsitsipas double fault to 0-30 and then shanked a backhand to give two breakpoints for Federer before the 38-year-old gained the breakthrough with a forehand winner down the line.
There was no replay of this for some reason, but this was a *ridiculous* half volley from Federer. Closer to a cricket shot than a conventional backhand.@TennisTV pic.twitter.com/doWCI0DDMA
— Matthew Willis (@MattRacquet) October 26, 2019
Federer then saved the first breakpoint on his serve in the match as he went onto serve out the match, winning the second set 6-4 in 35 minutes.
9-time #SwissIndoorsBasel champ @RogerFederer earns his 23rd straight win at Basel with a 64 64 SF victory over Stefanos Tsitispas, and will face @alexdeminaur in the final. De Minaur overcame Reilly Opelka 76(2) 67(4) 76(3), as he seeks to become the 1st Australian to win Basel.
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) October 26, 2019
The quest for a perfect 10th continues. 🏆@RogerFederer defeats Tsitsipas 6-4, 6-4 in Basel.
He'll face @AlexdeMinaur Sunday to try and earn his 10th title in Basel.#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/j24EMKxzFA— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) October 26, 2019
He will face Alex de Minaur for the title match on Sunday.
