Lethal Federer advances to Swiss semi-finals

ROGER Federer showed his lethal best when it mattered most as he beat Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 6-3 7-6 (7-2) yesterday to reach the Swiss Indoors semi-finals.

Federer, a five- time champion in the city of his birth, played a second-set tiebreaker to perfection against the 22-year-old.

Seventeen- time major winner Federer also strengthened his position for a place in the eight- man World Tour Finals starting in London in 10 days.

He is provisional seventh as he heads into a Saturday semi- final with Canadian Vasek Pospisil, who beat Ivan Dodig 7-6 (13-11) 6-4.

Federer could qualify for London if he wins a sixth title in Basel, according to ATP calculations.

The Swiss great improved his record to 18-1 against players born in the 1990s, with his only loss in that category coming in Hamburg against Argentine Federico Delbonis this year.

Federer was pleased to be finding some form after one of his poorest seasons.