Roger Federer Wins In Basel

Written by: Staff on 22nd October 2013

Roger Federer Wins In Basel

epa03918414 Switzerland's Roger Federer applauds the crowd after winning his first round match against France's Adrian Mannarino at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, 21 October 2013. EPA/GEORGIOS KEFALAS |

Roger Federer began his home event with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino as the Swiss fights for a place in the year-end final in London next month, Federer did not disappoint in the first round, winning in 71 minutes.

Federer has won Basel five times from nine finals but now needs top showings here and next in Paris if he is to claim his place in London along with the rest of the elite. He stands provisional eight, five point behind good friend and compatriot Stabiles Wawrinka.

“I want to compete for London, but I’ve got to win matches to get there,” he said. “I need to approach this (goal) in the correct way. But I’m going to give everything I have to get to London. It’s great be back in Basel, I get so much energy from this crowd,” Federer said after a victory in which he broke Mannarino four times. “I’m concentrating on playing well and hoping to qualify.”

Federer went up an early break against Mannarino, ranked 62nd. But the Frenchman got it back in the fourth game for 2-all before Federer settled in, winning the first set in just over half an hour, He ran away to victory in the second with two breaks of serve to advance for his 48th win at the tournament.

Federer takes the third seeding this week behind Argentine holder Juan Del Potro and Czech Tomas Berdych, who is next in the queue for a London place. He will await the winner from Horacio Zaballos and Denis Istomin. Elsewhere in the opening round, German qualifier Tobias Kane beat Romanian Victor Hanes cu 6-4, 6-4 and Lukas Ku bot of Poland stopped Spain’s Daniel Pimento-Traver 7-6 (8-6), 6-2.

Topics: 10sballs, Adrian Mannarino, Atp, Juan Martin Del Potro, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych