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BASEL, Switzerland - Roger Federer tamed childhood Basel school friend Marco Chiudinelli 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 Saturday, winning his 19th straight match at the pair's home Swiss Indoors to set up a final with Novak Djokovic.
Federer will be bidding for a fourth consecutive title here when he faces the second-seeded Serb, who rallied from the brink, saving three match points in spectacular fashion to win a dramatic semi-final over Radek Stepanek 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-2.
World number one Federer leads Djokovic 9-4 in their career series, standing 2-2 his season with his rival.
Federer last lost in Basel in 2003 to Ivan Ljubicic, then returned in 2006 to claim the last three trophies. His win over Chiudinelli was his 11th over a fellow Swiss against three defeats.
Chiudinelli saved a set point in the combatative opening set but then was passed on one of his own before Federer landed the tiebreaker.
And he took control 4-1 in the second on his way to a 59th victory this season.
Djokovic, winner of three titles in 2009, moved to his ninth final of the year as he stays the leader in ATP matches won in 2009 on 70.
He looked to be on the brink of a loss, trailing a set and 4-5 after Stepanek had taken the lead with his sixth ace in the previous game.
Facing three match points in the tenth game after a double-fault, Djokovic calmly saved two with winners while a Stepanek error accounted for the third.
A break in the next game for 6-5 and a forehand winner to end the set breathed new life into Djokovic, the player sporting the best post-US Open record on the ATP at 13-1 since losing to Federer in the New York semis.
Djokovic began the final set with a break and closed out Stepanek with a break in the seventh game and an error from the Czech a game later to escape in two and a half hours.
"I played well and I'm so happy to be in the final," said the winner. "The public really helped me when I was 4-5, love 40 down, they got me though.
"But I didn't serve very well and I had some luck. I'm happy after my second difficult match in a row. I could sense the crowd wanted to see me in the final.
"I'm very proud to get to this final, I'm fresh and I'm ready. I will play a home favourite in any case and the crowd will be for him."
World number four Djokovic leads the ATP in hardcourt wins (45) and has recorded at least 60 match wins for the third straight season. He has now won 70 matches for the first time in a season.
- AFP /ls
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