Rafa Nadal has become the first Spanish player to reach the final at the Swiss Indoor Open in Basel after a hard-fought win against Frenchman Richard Gasquet with 6-4 7-6 (9-7). Gasquet went up a break at the start of both sets but made two double faults as he was serving for the set at 5-4. Nadal, who is taking part in the Swiss Indoor Open for the fourth time in his career, saved two set points in the tie-break before taking the win on his second match point after two hours and five minutes.
Nadal won all his previous 13 head-to-head matches against Gasquet who won a set against the Spanish star for the last time in Toronto seven years ago.
Gasquet went up a break in the first game after Nadal made a double fault. Nadal made an attempt to break back but Gasquet held his serve with a backhand winner for 2-0.
Nadal won the third game for 1-2 on serve after a backhand winner and two errors from Gasquet.
The Frenchman hit two aces and a forehand winner to win his service game to love. Nadal won his second game after Gasquet made an error.
In the seventh game Nadal held his serve at deuce with a volley winner for 3-4 before breaking back one game later after two errors from Gasquet at 30-all. Nadal won his third consecutive game to take the 5-4 lead with a forehand winner.
Nadal hit two backhand winners at 5-4 to clinch his fourth consecutive game for 6-4 on his third set point.
Nadal won 67 percent of his first serve points, hit 10 winners to 7 unforced errors and converted two of his four break point chances in the first set.
The second set followed a similar pattern with Gasquet going up a break as at the start of the first set. Gaquet went up 0-40 on Nadal’s serve but the 14-time Grand Slam champion fought back to save six break points. After a very long game Gasquet converted his seventh break point with a volley winner to take a 1-0 lead. After another hard-fought game in which Nadal earned two break-back chances Gasquet held his serve with an ace to build up a 2-0 lead.
Nadal won another tight game on serve to close the gap to 1-2. Nadal earned a chance to break back in a long fourth game at deuce but Gasquet won his service game for 3-1 after Nadal made two errors.
Nadal closed the gap to 2-3 after a solid service game. In the sixth game Gasquet held serve without facing break points to pull away to 4-2.
Nadal clawed his way back by winning the 9th game for 4-5 with an ace. As Gasquet was serving for the set at 5-4, he made two double faults. Nadal broke back to 15 with a volley to draw level to 5-all. Gasquet hit a backhand winner and an ace to force the second set to the tie-break.
Nadal took a 4-1 lead with a mini-break in the tie-break but Gasquet rallied by breaking back with two strong returns. Gasquet won five consecutive points to take the 6-4 lead and earned two set points. Nadal saved both set points to draw level to 6-6. Nadal earned a match point at 7-6 with a powerful forehand but Gasquet saved it with a down the line backhand. Nadal claimed five of the last six points to seal the win on his second match point with 9-7 as Gasquet sent his backhand wide.
Nadal fired 31 winners and converted three of his eight break point chances.
Nadal now leads 14-0 in his head-to-head matches against Gasquet.
Nadal will face the winner of the second semifinal between Roger Federer and Jack Sock
After his defeat in the Basel semifnal Richard Gasquet is no longer in contention for a qualifying spot for the ATP Finals in London. The line-up for the ATP Finals at the O2 Arena is now set with Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Rafa Nadal, Kei Nishikori and David Ferrer.
