By Chris Oddo | Tuesday October 24, 2017
Roger Federer’s bid for an eighth Swiss Indoors Basel title is underway in convincing fashion, as the 36-year-old sailed past American Frances Tiafoe, 6-1, 6-3, to set up a second-round encounter with France’s Benoit Paire.
Paire beat Johnson, 6-3, 7-(4).
Federer returns after skipping the event last season due to injury. In 16 previous main draw appearances he has reached 12 finals to go with his seven titles.
From 2006 to 2015, Federer reached 10 consecutive finals in Basel.
He improved his lifetime record at Basel to 62-9 today by winning all 21 of his first serve points and converting four of 10 break points against Tiafoe.
Federer is now 45-4 on the season and 33-3 on hardcourts, but he has a lot of work to do if he plans to claim the ATP’s year-end ranking. Federer begins the week 1,960 points behind Rafael Nadal, but could close that gap to 1,460 with a title in Basel.
In other action in Basel, No.3-seeded David Goffin eased past Germany’s Peter Gojowczyk, 6-2, 7-5, No.5-seeded Jack Sock defeated Lucky Loser Vasek Pospisil, 3-6, 7-6(7), 7-5 and No.8-seeded Mischa Zverev fell to Leonardo Mayer, 7-5, 7-5.
American Ryan Harrison also advanced, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov, 6-4, 6-1.