RoastedLinuxFed express reaches final tricky destination
October 25th 2008 23:01
Roger Federer has now won all seven career meetings against Feliciano Lopez, but his encounters with David Nalbandian have been far less predictable.
Indeed this is what stands in front of Federer if he is to clinch his fourth ATP title this year.
The 13-time grand slam champion has won nine of 17 encounters with Nalbandian, who won both of their previous final showdowns last year.
Nalbandian has also enjoyed some success in this tournament, winning in 2002 and finishing runner-up twice.
His win over Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals this morning was a statement, as Nalbandian is desperate to hold off the 20 year old for the title of Argentina's best player.
This was the second time in as many tournaments that the countrymen have squared off as Del Potro earned a third-round triumph last week at Madrid.
Del Potro, who lost for just the fourth time in 39 matches, had never won an ATP singles title until this past summer, when he reeled off 23 consecutive wins that culminated in four straight championships.
He has risen from 81st to ninth in the rankings this year and is just one place behind Nalbandian.
From Federer's part, he advanced to the final of his home Swiss tournament on Saturday with a 6-3 6-2 win over Spain's Feliciano Lopez.
The Swiss superstar will go for his third straight title at the event on Sunday when he faces second seed Nalbandian, who claimed a 6-4 6-4 victory over third seed Del Potro in an all-Argentinean semi-final.
Also a finalist in 2000 and 2001, Federer has won 14 straight matches at this event and the reigning US Open champion could come that little bit closer to reclaiming his world no.1 crown, currently held by Spain's Rafael Nadal.
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