Federer struggles past fighting Ferrer

By Bill Scott Oct 27, 2006, 23:38 GMT

Spain\'s David Ferrer serves to Switzerland\'s Roger Federer during their quarter final match at the Davidoff Swiss Indoors tennis tournament in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, 27 October 2006. EPA/GEORGIOS KEFALAS

Basel - Roger Federer had to save six set points and needed four match points to squeeze past fighting Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 7-6 (16-14), booking into the semi-finals of the Davidoff Swiss Indoors Friday.

In his toughest test of the week at the tournament he perhaps most want to win, the world number 1 needed to call upon all of his tennis arsenal to hold off the fifth seed.

The second-set decider was a battle of nerves as Ferrer refused to roll over in his opponent's hometown.

'I got off to an awkward start after losing on my first serve, the reaction was important,' said the Swiss, 85-5 with ten titles in 2006. 'I played really well from then on. It's a pity I couldn't serve better in the second set.

'He hung in and deserved to come back. It's been like that every time we've played. I had to weather the storm.'

He next faces Thai Paradorn Srichaphan, who defeated Jose Acasuro of Argentina 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 to pull to 30-30 on the season.

Paradorn has now reached his third semi-final in seven weeks after Beijing and Bangkok.

Federer is keen to give hometown fans the title they have been yearning for ever since he lost the 2000 final to Thomas Enqvist and went down a year later in the title match to Tim Henman.

Federer was joined by another successful Swiss as Stanislas Wawrinka got past second seed David Nalbandian 7-6 (9-7), 6-2.

'I serve particularly well today,' said Wawrinka. 'This was one of the best wins of my career.'

Nalbandian, sixth in the race for the Masters Cup in Shanghai, admitted he was beaten on the day. 'He played better than me, I was always on the defensive,' said the Argentine.

Chile's Masters Cup contender Fernando Gonzalez strengthened his hand in a bid for the season-ending event, winning a war of attrition to knock off a teenaged challenger.

The defending champion spent more than two hours in taming volatile 18-year-old Argentine Juan Del Potro, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

'I'm happy in this moment, I'm hoping for Shanghai. If I get there, it will be great, but I'm having a very good second part of the year,' said the third seed.

'This will help me for next season, In 2006 I didn't play well in the first six months.'

Number 91 challenger Del Potro went up a break in the final set but lost it, then erupted in a burst of temper after the experienced Gonzalez earned another break to move into winning position.

After a racket-bouncing act, Del Potro was unable to react as Gonzlez served out the victory into his third straight semi-final.

Gonzalez has been battling all month indoors, reaching finals in Vienna and last weekend in Madrid, where he was crushed by Federer in the title match.

'I'm tired, it's the end of the year and I'm in the chase for Shanghai. But I'm always trying to play my best,' he said after his sixth three-setter in two weeks.

The Chilean has moved from 12th to ninth in the year-long points chase, and is in position to move up on Spain's number 8 Tommy Robredo with this weekend and one more week in Paris left in the regular season.

The best eight players of the year qualify for the Masters Cup in Shanghai.