Federer, Del Potro Set Dream Desert Final

It’s a dream final at the BNP Paribas Open – for more than just fans.

Earlier in the tournament, Juan Martin del Potro said that any chance to play against Roger Federer would be great – and now he’ll get exactly that: a clash with Federer for the first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy of the season. 

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the 2018 BNP Paribas Open final & vote for who you think will win! 
Federer vs. Del Potro

Both advanced to the final, albeit in drastically different fashion. Federer endured an inspired effort by Borna Coric, who led by a set and a break on several occasions but was unable to close the Swiss out in the match’s most tense moments. Del Potro, on the other hand, breezed by Milos Raonic, dealing better with the windy conditions and breaking the Canadian’s normally potent serve four times. The victory marked Del Potro’s 400^th career win, and he became just the second Argentine in history after Guillermo Vilas to reach the milestone.

The BNP Paribas final pits two of the game’s best forehands against each other. With Del Potro, every ball left for his forehand to devour could mean the point is over. Whether he’s in an attacking position or a defensive one, the Argentine’s juggernaut forehand is a weapon any opponent, including Federer, would wish to avoid. 

Federer, on the other hand, will look to use his own potent forehand to bully Del Potro’s backhand. Taking the ball fast and early is the Swiss’ modus operandi, and his ability to inject so much spin with such a compact swing has contributed to countless historic results in his prolific career.

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This matchup of fearsome forehands has yielded several exceptional matches over the years. In fact, 9 of their past 11 meetings have gone to a final set, including an epic 19-17 third set at the London Olympics in 2012. Just last year, the two met four times: Federer claimed three of those matches, while Del Potro got the better of him in the quarter-finals of the US Open in four tight sets.

“Yeah, we have had a lot of close matches. Big matches, close matches,” recalled Federer on the rivalry. “I just tried to think back at the French Open semis, US Open final, Olympic semis, Basel finals … and few [Nitto ATP Finals] matches, Shanghai; just three-setters and five-setters the whole way. It’s been good.

“I think we have an interesting matchup,” he added. We both know what the other is trying to do, and we try to stop the other person from doing it. But it’s hard when [one of us] is in full flight. It’s basically an arm wrestle the whole time, and I think we enjoy that.”

Although Federer owns a 18-6 record against the 29-year-old in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, Del Potro actually leads the Swiss when it comes to finals with three wins to Federer’s two.

At the BNP Paribas Open, their 25^th meeting overall will be their sixth final contested. Federer will be playing to reinforcehis place atop the ATP Rankings, although he will remain at the No. 1 spot throughout Miami regardless of his result in Sunday’s final. Additionally, the 36-year-old is chasing his 28th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title and 98th title overall.  Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, the final is a chance for Del Potro to claim his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy and his biggest title since winning the US Open nine years ago. The Argentine knows he won’t have it easy against one of his greatest rivals – but he relishes the challenge.

“We play great matches together. I love to play against him,” said the World No. 8. “He’s the favourite to win tomorrow, but I will try to do my best tennis. I beat him in the past, and I know [what] I can do to repeat that, but is not easy. It will be a good challenge to see how my level is against him.”