Indian Wells (California) March 19 (IANS) Swiss tennis great Roger Federer continued his strong run of form at the BNP Paribas Open defeating American Jack Sock to set up a title showdown against compatriot Stan Wawrinka.
Federer on Saturday raced out to a quick lead and wrapped up the first set of the semi-final match before the first ball change reports Efe.
Sock then managed to hold his serve throughout the second set but the 18-time Grand Slam champion won the tiebreaker handily to wrap up a 6-1 7-6 (7-4) victory.
Federer who routed arch-rival Rafael Nadal of Spain in the round of 16 has not lost his serve once in four matches and has only faced one break point.
Earlier Saturday the third-ranked Wawrinka made quick work of Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta to reach his first Indian Wells final.
It s an amazing result to be in the final here especially in Indian Wells the Swiss three-time Slam winner said after his 6-3 6-2 victory. I am really happy with the way I m playing.
Saturday s semi-final win contrasted with Wawrinka s victories in the round of 16 and quarter-finals in which he was stretched to a third-set tiebreaker by both Japanese lucky loser Yoshihito Nishioka and Austria s Dominic Thiem.
The 10th-ranked Federer will be looking to win this hard-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event for the fifth time on Sunday.
--IANS
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Federer, Wawrinka set up showdown in Indian Wells final
