Basel: Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina set up a potential Swiss Indoors title rematch against Roger Federer by beating Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The top-seeded del Potro came back strongly after a shaky spell when he let the second set slip away, and brushed aside the 65th-ranked Frenchman in the decider.
"I made a lot of mistakes in the end of the second set," the fifth-ranked del Potro said. "He was there taking chances. He has nothing to lose in this match."
Federer, who lost to del Potro in the 2012 final, played 40th-ranked Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the second semi-final.
A five-time champion in his hometown event, Federer is seeking just his second title this season. He last played a final in June, when winning the grass-court event at Halle, Germany.
"When you are close to playing Federer in the final it is like some extra pressure for me," said del Potro, who has won three hard-court titles this season. "I would like to play him in the final because, for me, it is going to be more interesting."
Del Potro seized the initiative by breaking Roger-Vasselin's serve in the opening set. When Roger-Vasselin leveled at 3-3, del Potro responded by winning eight straight points, and served out the set with a sliced backhand winner down the line.
Del Potro then sustained a nosebleed requiring an eight-minute medical timeout, but appeared to be cruising when he broke to lead 4-3 in the second set.
However, Roger-Vasselin reeled off three quick games to level the match, clinching the set when del Potro badly mistimed a topspin forehand and sent the ball looping high into the seats.
Del Potro, who had three straight-sets victories to reach the semi-finals, raced to a 4-0 lead in the third and converted his first match point when Roger-Vasselin returned a powerful serve long.
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