Roger Federer wins eighth Basel Crown

Basel : Switzerland’s Roger Federer beat Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro to win the Swiss Indoors and narrow the gap on world number one Rafael Nadal. Federer’s 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 win moves him within 1,460 points of the Spaniard before next week’s Paris Masters, the final regular-season event.

The 36-year-old claimed an eighth crown in Basel and his seventh title of 2017.

Victory for Del Potro would have moved him into the final qualifying place for the ATP finals in London.

Having won in Stockholm last week, the world number 19 was targeting back-to-back titles in Basel but it was not to be for the 29-year-old, who remains one place behind Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.

Del Potro must reach at least the semi-finals in Paris to claim the final spot.

Federer and Del Potro had met on four previous occasions in 2017, with the latter winning their last meeting - a US Open quarter-final last month.

In a tight opening set, Federer had the chance to take it on serve, only for Del Potro to break, and the Swiss player then lost five points in a row to surrender the tie-break.

Federer’s frustrations came to a head in the fourth game of the second set when he blew the chance to stamp his authority back on the match.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion carved out a break point and took control of the rally at 30-40, only to send a simple backhand volley wide.

It triggered an angry outburst as Federer smashed his racquet into the net in a rare show of emotion.

However, he regained his composure to break in the final game of the set, before wrapping up the victory with two further breaks in the third.

Federer now has 95 career titles, with American Jimmy Connors leading the all-time list on 109.