By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 2, 2015

 

Roger Federer squeezed past Diego Schwartzman, 2-6, 6-2, 7-5, to reach his 128th career final in Istanbul.

Photo credit: TEB BNP Paribas Open

Staring down a second break point midway through the final set, Roger Federer's head was so still you could have balanced a ball on it as he whipped a backhand winner down the line.

Erasing break point with a bolt, Federer erupted in a roar. His loud "come on!" roused the crowd and the Swiss's ruthless serving.

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Breaking in the final game of the match, Federer squeezed out a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Diego Schwartzman in Istanbul to advance to his fourth final in six tournaments this season.

It wasn't always pretty and he wasn't always precise. Federer converted just three of 11 break points against an opponent whose serve is not a weapon. But the top seed kept cool and played with aggression moving to within one win of his 85th career title.

The second-ranked Swiss will face third-seeded Pablo Cuevas in Sunday's final. Cuevas dismissed second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, 6-2, 6-4, in the day's second semifinal.

Contesting his first career ATP semifinal, Schwartzman hardly looked awed by the occasion or his accomplished opponent

Standing an unimposing 5-foot-7, Schwartzman looked up to some of the ball kids on court, but showed no reluctance taking charge of rallies at the outset. Scoring the first break, he navigated a deuce game holding for 3-1.

Federer spent a large chunk of the first set operating under the premise his timing would click in and he'd hit through his opponent rather than trying to stretch his opponent a bit and test his restricted reach.

At heart, Schwartzman is an aggressive baseliner trapped in a grinder's body. He's at his best straddling the baseline and ripping shots on the rise. The Argentine's variety off his compact backhand — he can curl the sharp crosscourt angle, play the finesse slice and drop shot and drive it down the line — created some recognition issues for Federer. He sometimes looked baffled by where that backhand was going.

A Schwartzman return ricocheted off the top of the net, dropping into the service box. Federer caught up to the ball and was in position to do almost whatever he wanted with a backhand, but he overhit a crosscourt drive wide, dropping into a 2-5 hole.

When Federer netted a forehand return, Schwartzman had taken his first set from the 17-time Grand Slam champion in three meetings.

Fighting off a pair of break points with a couple of backhand drives down the line, Schwartzman held for 1-1 in the second set. He saved two more break points in the fourth game before Federer coaxed a stray inside-out forehand, finally breaking for the first time for 3-1.

Finding his range, Federer reeled off eight consecutive points, closing the second set with a sweeping backhand winner to break at love.

A soft backhand drop shot gave Federer the first break point of the final set. By that point, he had break points in four of his opponent's last five service games. But a stubborn Schwartzman saved it with a serve winner wide and held with a drop shot and "Vamos!" for 1-1.

Three games later, Schwartzman turned the screws earning two break points. Correctly anticipating a wide second serve, he was in prime position for a backhand return but drove it into the tape of the tape on the first break point. Federer narrowly missed a forehand approach down the line to face a second break point. The Swiss cracked a clean backhand winner down the opposite sideline — his most authoritative backhand drive of the day — bellowing in saving the break point and eventually holding for 3-2.

Credit Schwartzman — whose thick neck, crouching return position and love of the battle recall a collegiate wrestler — for continuing to fight. Schwartzman saved a match point blasting another backhand winner down the line at the one hour, 46-minute mark. He held for 5-5.

Continuing to press forward, Federer hit a slick forehand swing volley, struck from below the height of the net, holding at 15 for 6-5. Schwartzman's craving for the dopper cost him in the last game. He got too cute playing an angled forehand drop shot. Federer tracked it down and shoveled back a reply. Schwartzman still should have won the point, but netted a forehand volley then compounded the error slapping a forehand into net to face two more match points.

When the 22-year-old sprayed a final forehand, Federer was through in one hour, 55 minutes.