Roger Federer extended his dominance over Andy Roddick on Saturday, notching his 20th win in 22 meetings against the American as he won 6-2, 6-4 to reach the final of the Swiss Indoors in Basel.
Federer will face titleholder Novak Djokovic on Sunday in a repeat of last year's final after the world number three beat Victor Troicki 7-6, 6-4 after his fellow Serb squandered three chances to win the first set.
Federer and Roddick were meeting for the first time since their epic five-set Wimbledon final last year, but this time it was all over fairly quickly as Federer dominated proceedings.
"It always seems to work well for me against Andy. He went quite a while without serving an ace and that's a good sign that I had a good read of his serve," Federer told reporters.
"It's a tough final, as tough as they come especially on a fast court. It's going to be very physical."
Roddick struggled with his serve throughout and was broken in the second game, allowing Federer to take control.
Federer saved two break points in the fifth game before serving four consecutive aces in his next service game. He then wrapped up the set by breaking Roddick again in the next game, closing it with a stunning forehand from the baseline.
Federer briefly showed signs of nerves as he was broken at the start of the second set.
But Roddick's revival ended in the sixth game when his serve got him into trouble again and, although he saved two break points, an over-hit backhand on the third allowed Federer to level at 3-3.
Federer then broke again in the 10th game, wrapping up the match at the first attempt with an unstoppable cross-court winner.
"I didn't serve well in the first set and my second serve especially was all over the place and when that happens you know it's going to be a long day," said Roddick.
Troicki blew a chance to upset Djokovic for the second time in two months.
Serving for the first set at 6-5, Troicki led 40-0 but then lost five points in a row to give Djokovic the chance of a tiebreak where he made no mistake.
Djokovic, bidding for his third ATP final of the season after Beijing and Dubai, broke in the second game of the second set and it was soon all over.
Troicki had lost his nerve against Djokovic when the pair met at the US Open, losing in five sets after he had been two sets to one ahead.
