Today’s final in Basel was a heavyweight encounter, and the first three games promised quite a battle. Both players found their range early on from the baseline and pushed the server onto the back foot with sharp returns. Both men held off break points, but Federer was able to convert a chance in the third game and ride that slim advantage all the way through the first set.
Federer and Djokovic have played some first-class sets against each other this year without quite being able to sustain that level of play throughout the whole match. So it proved today. Federer was the first to lose focus; Djokovic’s speed and heavy shots can make Federer look nervy, and the Serb was much the better player in set two. He's added a potent inside-in forehand to his arsenal, and he used it to good effect several times in this match.
But Djokovic allowed his own level to drop in the third, even though Federer was still pressing when he had opportunities. The third set fizzled rather than glowed: the match ended as a mirror image of their encounter in the same venue last year. Djokovic had carried a 9-0 record into the Jakobshalle, and a bit more composure might have given him a perfect 10. He’s playing much closer to the form he showed in 2008, but this is the kind of match he needs to win to consistently occupy a place at the ATP top table.
—Andrew Burton