Roger Federer defeated Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-3 here on Saturday to reach the final of the Paris Masters for the first time in his career. The 30-year-old Swiss holder of 16 Grand Slam titles will play on Sunday the winner of the other semi-final which sees 2008 winner Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France take on giant American John Isner.
A break of serve in the first game of each set was all the former world No 1 needed to see off the challenge of Berdych who beat second seed Andy Murray in a marathon quarter-final on Friday. The day after chalking up the 800th match win of his career, Federer made a storming start against a player who had given him problems in the past.
He immediately had the big Czech on the defensive and clinched a first break of serve when a rasping cross-court forehand forced an error. The third seed powered through his own serve and had a break point to go 3-0 up in the next game before Berdych finally started to find his range. Federer though was comfortable on his own serve and took the first set 6-4 despite a double fault at 40-15 ahead in the 10th game.
Berdych stumbled again at the start of the second set handing Federer two break points by netting an easy-looking overhead smash and he then netted a routine forehand from the baseline. Federer, who won just his second tournament of the year last week in his hometown of Basel, smoothly moved 2-0 up and he never looked like being caught from there on in.
Berdych saved a break point after double-faulting in the seventh game, but two games later Federer went 40-0 up and clinched the win when a demoralised Berdych netted a weak forehand. A win on Sunday would be just the second time that Federer has lifted a title in the French capital with his only triumph at Roland Garros in the French Open coming in 2009 when he beat Sweden's Robin Soderling in the final. It would also set him up perfectly for the season-ending ATP Tour finals in London which start the week after next.
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