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By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, October 31, 2015

 
Roger Federer

Reigning champion Roger Federer stopped Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-4, to advance to the Basel final for the 12th time.

Photo credit: Swiss Indoors Basel

A creative Roger Federer continues to satisfy Swiss cravings at his hometown tournament.

The former Basel ball boy has served up pizza parties at the Swiss Indoors in the past. Today, Federer dished out a varied front-court attack to feed the need for a rivalry reunion.

More: Nadal Tops Gasquet to Reach Basel Final

The top-seeded Swiss won all 18 of his net approaches outclassing Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-4, to surge into his 10th straight Swiss Indoors final and 12th Basel final overall.

Six-time champion Federer will face archrival Rafael Nadal in Sunday's final.

The third-seeded Spaniard stretched his career record against Richard Gasquet to 14-0 with a 6-4, 7-6 (7) victory in today's first semifinal.

This will be the 34th episode of the Roger-Rafa rivalry. Nadal beaten Federer five times in a row to take a 23-10 lead in their head-to-head series, including a 9-6 edge in hard-court encounters. Federer has won four of their five indoor meetings.

This will be their first clash since the 2014 Australian Open semifinals, which Nadal won 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3. Federer has not beaten Nadal since scoring a 6-3, 6-4 decision in the 2012 Indian Wells semifinals.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion has played some of his most dynamic tennis indoors and will enjoy the homecourt advantage playing in front of his hometown fans.

Mixing his spins and speeds and covering the court fluidly, Federer thwarted Sock's power winning 11 of the first 15 games.

Sock is explosive from the forehand side. Federer is more dangerous from more areas of the court.

Challenging Sock with flatter forehands into the American's forehand, Federer draw a wild shank from that wing for double break point. Sock was up quickly to a mid-court ball but slapped a forehand into net as Federer broke for 3-1.

Slashing an inside-out forehand for set points, Federer jammed a slider serve into the hip serving out the 29-minute first set.

Playing first-strike tennis, Federer served 74 percent and won 20 of 22 points played on his first serve. Pressing the attack forward, the six-time champion won all nine of his trips to net.

Trying to control the center of the court and assert his forehand, Sock instead imploded in a sloppy third game. Squandering a 40-15 lead, with a double fault and a series of forehand errors, Sock faced a third break point. He spun a forehand down the line that missed the mark as Federer broke for 2-1.

Federer quickly backed up the break holding at love for 3-1 after just 45 minutes of play.

The Swiss stylist used his superior racquet skills and soft touch to befuddle Sock at times curling the low slice into the service box. Sock bashed a backhand down the line that sailed as Federer scored his second straight break for 4-1.


 

OH YES! Roger defeated Jack Sock 6-3 6-4. Roger will play Nadal in Final! COME ON ROG! #rogerfederer #tennis

A photo posted by Roger Federer (@rogerfedererswiss) on


Sock stopped a five game slide dragging a backhand drop shot winner for 2-5.

Swinging more freely, Sock earned break point then repelled Federer's serve-and-volley attempt cracking a backhand pass crosscourt breaking back for 3-5.

Restoring order the second time he served for the match, Federer closed in 63 minutes, raising his hometown tournament record to 60-9.

 

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