The 19-time Grand Slam champion took revenge for narrow three-set losses to the Argentine in the finals of the 2012 and 2013 editions of his hometown event.
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer kisses the Basel Open trophy (Photo: AFP)
Swiss tennis great Roger Federer rallied from one set down to defeat Argentine Juan Martin del Potro 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3 to win the Swiss Indoors Basel tournament for the eighth time.
The 19-time Grand Slam champion took revenge for narrow three-set losses to the Argentine in the finals of the 2012 and 2013 editions of his hometown event, Efe news reported on Sunday.
With the title, Federer became the second most decorated tennis player in the Open era, one crown ahead of Czech icon Ivan Lendl but 14 titles behind United States’ Jimmy Connors.
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Thanks to his powerful serve, the 1.98-meter Del Potro had the upper hand in the first set tiebreak.
A break in the ninth game was all Federer needed to draw level in his 13th Basel final.
It seemed like Del Potro would prevail again in the final, when he broke Federer’s serve early in the third set.
The Swiss star, however, broke Del Potro’s serve twice for his seventh season title so far, with the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Indian Wells, Miami, Halle and Shanghai already in the bag.
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