28 Oct 2012

Federer to face Del Potro in Basel final

12:20 pm on 28 October 2012

Local hero Roger Federer and Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro will meet on Monday for the first time since their epic Olympic Games clash after both beat French opponents to reach the final of the Swiss Indoors in Basel.

Del Potro overpowered Richard Gasquet 6-2 6-2 to reach his fifth final of the year while world number one Federer met more resistance before beating Paul-Henri Mathieu 7-5 6-4 for his 33rd win from his last 33 matches played at his home tournament.

And if recent results are anything to go by, Federer should make it 34 from 35 - the Swiss great has spoiled what has otherwise been an excellent year for Del Potro, winning all six of their meetings on a mixture of clay, grass and hard courts.

The most recent of those was their astonishing Olympic semi-final at Wimbledon where Federer won a 36-game final set.