Sat Oct 27 14:00:06 2007

Comment | Email | Print

Federer outguns Karlovic to reach hometown final

---

Basel, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Roger Federer outslugged Croatia's Ivo Karlovic to advance to the final of his hometown tournament, the Swiss Indoors.

The top-seeded Federer earned a 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5) victory Saturday in the semifinals and will next meet Finland's Jarkko Nieminen, who earlier had posted a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 triumph over Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.

Federer was unable to break the serve of the 6-foot-10 Karlovic, but was able to prevail in a pair of tiebreakers to reach the final of this event for the second straight year. He beat Fernando Gonzalez to capture last year's crown.

Karlovic, who banged out 16 aces to Federer's 10, failed to convert a set point in the opener and Federer stormed to a 5-2 lead in the first tiebreak. Karlovic won the next two points and soon after staved off a set point for Federer.

Federer gained another set point shortly after and converted with a serve and volley.

The second set stayed on serve, although Federer had a pair of match points that he was unable to convert while Karlovic was serving at 4-5. Again Federer jumped out to an early lead in the tiebreak at 4-1 and was able to finish it off.

Federer is now just one victory away from securing the year-end No. 1 ranking for a fourth straight year. He will be a heavy favorite with the crowd behind him against an opponent that has never beaten him.

Nieminen is 0-7 lifetime against Federer and has never taken a set from the Swiss superstar. The two haven't met since a semifinal encounter two years ago in Bangkok -- a 6-3, 6-4 Federer victory.

Federer, a runner-up in this event in 2000 and 2001, will be gunning for his 52nd career ATP singles title and seventh of 2007. He lost to David Nalbandian in the final last week at the Madrid Masters.

Nieminen has just one career title, winning last year in Auckland, and Sunday will mark his first final of 2007. His best previous finishes this year were semifinal losses in Halle and Marseille. The loss in Marseille came at the hands of Baghdatis.