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Basel - Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic on Saturday set up a re-run of the 2009 Swiss Indoors final won by the Serb which ended three consecutive years of trophy domination from the Basel hometown hero.
Top seed Federer against showed the ruthless form which has carried him to overwhelming victories all week at the hall where he began his career as a ballboy, thumping longtime rival Andy Roddick in a 6-2, 6-4 semi-final thrashing.
Djokovic engineered a second straight escape against dangerous Serbian compatriot Viktor Troicki with the second seed managing a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 win.
"Roger and I know each other's games well," said Djokovic. "He's been on the top level for six or seven years and is the best ever. He's at the top of his game all the time."
Federer had no mercy for Roddick, whom he has now defeated in 20 of 22 career matches stretching back ten years and starting here at the St Jakobshalle in 2001.
That winning run from the 16-time grand slam champion Swiss includes victory in three Wimbledon finals, the latest in 2009.
Federer fired 11 aces to just four for his big-serving opponent. The Swiss was broken to start the second set but got it back for 3-all and polished off victory in 70 minutes with a crisp passing winner past the American's outstretched racquet.
World number three Djokovic found himself in a struggle with his Davis Cup teammate Troicki as both men prepare for the weekend that could determine their tennis season when Serbia host France in the Davis Cup final in Belgrade December 3-5.
Djokovic managed to get out of trouble against the 32nd-ranked Troicki after trailing two sets to one in a US Open first-round encounter two months ago. That pattern was back in evidence in Basel.
"I was lucky to get out of the first set," said Djokovic, who will play his third final from his last four ATP tournaments following US Open and Beijing.
"That helped me to regain my confidence. We had a thrilling match in New York as well.
"Again today, he was the better player and was close to the win," said the Serb who saved three set points in the 12th game of the opening set to turn the momentum in his favour, winning the opening in a tiebreaker.
"The key point in the match was that 6-5 game. If he had won the first set, god knows what would have happened."
Djokovic now stands 9-0 in Basel and 6-1 over his good friend.
Roddick is fighting to qualify for one of three remaining spots in the eight-man World Tour Finals in London, where he is hoping to join the field for the eighth straight year.
