Agencies
Cincinnati, August 17
Roger Federer will face David Ferrer in the final of the Cincinnati Masters after both men enjoyed convincing straight-set wins in their semi-finals.
Federer, looking to claim a sixth title at the event, cruised into his fourth consecutive ATP final as he brushed aside Canada's Milos Raonic with a 6-2 6-3 victory.
The world number three did not drop a point on his serve in the first set and needed just a single break in the eighth game of the second to close out a routine win.
"I'm playing much better (than) last year. I can move freely again," Federer stated afterwards.
"I'm happy, the results show. It's more fun playing this way. Now I am playing the right away.”
"It's great for the confidence to switch from clay to grass to hard courts and keep on playing well. I've had a very complete season so far. This is my eighth final of the season. I hope I can win another final here."
Ferrer was an equally comprehensive winner as he beat France's Julien Benneteau, also for the loss of just five games.
The sixth seed needed just an hour and 11 minutes to complete a 6-3 6-2 win over his French opponent, who was playing in a Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time in his career.
Unseeded Benneteau, who has also reached the last four of the men’s doubles, managed to keep pace with Ferrer for the first six games before dumping a backhand into the net to give the Spaniard a break of serve.
Ferrer held his own serve then broke Benneteau again to wrap up the set, finishing things off with a backhand winner down the line.
Unforced errors continued to flow from Benneteau’s racquet at the start of the second set and Ferrer went a break up again in the fourth game.
The Frenchman did manage one more service hold and then showed admirable spirit to save four match points in the eighth game before finally succumbing on the fifth.
Ferrer, who was forced to save two match points in his opening clash with Philipp Kohlschreiber earlier this week, said afterwards: "I'm going step by step. Tennis is always a surprise. When I looked in my quarter of the draw and saw Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga there, I knew it was not easy.
"But as they lost, I took my chance and got into the final. I'm trying to improve my game every day. Watching the top 10 guys is a great inspiration to improve also. I'm feeling very comfortable on hard courts. On those I can play more with my timing than with power."
