PARIS: Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will play each other for the first time this year after both won their quarter-final ties at the Paris Masters tournament on Friday.
Djokovic swept into the semi-finals with a rapid-fire 6-1, 6-4 win over Stanislas Wawrinka, while Federer came through a second set wobble to edge Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
It will be the 30th meeting between the two, but the first since Djokovic defeated the Swiss great in the ATP World Tour final in London a year ago.
Djokovic, Paris Masters champion in 2009, said that Federer was having a strong finish to what had been a disappointing season.
“Roger is probably experiencing the worst season that he had in last 10 years, but he’s still a player to beat in every tournament, because he’s Roger Federer, because he has won 17 Grand Slams, and we all know how successful a career he has,” the Serb said.
“You cannot underestimate him, although maybe he’s not at the form where he was when he was No. 1 of the world. But I have been watching his matches in Basel last week and here. I think he’s playing really well.”
Fifth seed Federer had lost for the third straight time to the towering Argentine in the final of the Basel tournament on Sunday, on what was home turf for him.
But with Del Potro looking decidedly leg weary from his marathon efforts in recent weeks that have seen him win 15 out of his last 16 matches, Federer was in commanding form from the start.
In the evening quarter-finals, top seed and world number one Rafael Nadal was pitted against French number one Richard Gasquet, who reached the ATP Tour finals for only the second time on Thursday evening when remaining rival for the final spot, Milos Raonic, lost to Tomas Berdych. (Agencies)
