Federer Steps Closer to Year-End Finals and del Potro Wins 300th in Basel
October 25, 2013 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg
Roger Federer moved to within two match wins of qualifying for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on Friday when he reached the Swiss Indoors Basel semifinals after a 6-3, 7-6(2) win over Grigor Dimitrov. Federer is looking to qualify for the year-end event for the 12th consecutive year, and will lock upo a spot with a finals victory at the Swiss Indoors Basel.
Also advancing to the semis is defending champion Juan Martin del Potro who won his 300th career match with a 6-4, 6-4 win over qualifier Paul-Henri Mathieu in 79 minutes.
“It's a pleasure winning my 300th match on tour, doing it here in Basel, against Mathieu,” said del Potro. “I think I played really well. I don't know if I deserved that, but it's like a gift for all my efforts for many, many years of work. I am looking forward to reaching the final once again. I am trying to go far and repeat what I did last year.”
With the victory, del Potro became the sixth Argentine to reach the 300-win club, joining Guillermo Vilas (929), David Nalbandian (383), Jose-Luis Clerc (375), Juan Ignacio Chela (326) and Martin Jaite (301).
Del Potro has already secured his place at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals and is bidding to win his fourth title of the season and reach his third final in a row.
