BASEL, Switzerland - Top-ranked Roger Federer lost his hometown competition on Sun. , falling 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to Novak Djokovic in the Swiss Inside last. Djokovic earned his 4th contest win of the season with a victory that stopped Federers run of 3 straight titles at the competition. Its upsetting to lose at home in the finals, doubtless, Federer recounted. I assumed I missed lots of possibilities. He played hard and he played well when he had to, and saved a lot of break points that were critical.
Djokovic improved to 3-2 this year against Federer, and claimed the top-ranked Swiss pushed him to his boundaries. I need to produce something special to win, Djokovic asserted at sold-out St Jakobshalle. The second-seeded Serb secured the first set by saving 5 break points in a game that lasted twenty-four mins.
It was perhaps the turning point in the entire match, Djokovic declared. Federer fought back from a breakdown to win the second set and wake his partisan fans, but Djokovic raced to a 4-0 lead in the decider and closed out the victory after Federer wasted 3 break points in the 6th game. It definitely was a tour-leading 71st win this year for Djokovic, who improved to 4-5 in finals in 2009. His other title wins were at Dubai, his home event at Belgrade, and Beijing last month. Federer is 59-9 this year after losing only his 3rd match since May. The 1st set went with serve, till Federer was damaged for the 1st time in the competition to trail 5-4. Then came that tense, error-strewn game that featured 11 deuces before Djokovic took his 7th set-point chance. Federer dropped serve again to open the second set, sending another forehand into the net. But he won his next service game, then broke his adversary for the 1st time when a drop shot grazed the net rope before falling in play. He broke Djokovics serve again to win the set when the 22-year-old Serb sent a forehand into the net. Djokovic rallied instantly in the decider, Federer dropping
2 straight service games for the second time in the match. Trailing 4-1, Federer held 3 break points at 0-40 but was let down again by his groundstrokes as Djokovic reeled off 5 straight points. Djokovic required only 1 match point to clinch, as Federer mistimed a backhand from the baseline.
