Roger Federer defeats Kei Nishikori to set up Halle final against Alejandro Falla

Alejandro Falla (L) and Roger Federer

Berlin, June 14 (IANS): Roger Federer defeated Kei Nishikori in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) to reach the final in Halle for the ninth time Saturday.

The six-time Halle champion Federer utilised a break point to seal the first set. The fourth-seeded Nishikori then fought back in the second set to force the former World No. 1 into the tiebreak, reports Xinhua.

However, Federer was able to equalise their head-to-head record to 2-2 by winning the breaker and with it the match.

In the first set, the Swiss needed only one break point to pull away 4-2 before he bagged the first set 6-3. Federer immediately took the reins in the second set too by breaking in Nishikori's first service game.

But the Japanese remained unimpressed and responded with an immediate break back.

Both players failed to break each other after that, taking the match into a tie-break. Federer wrapped up the tiebreak 7-4 courtesy of four straight points.

The former World No. 1 will face Colombian Alejandro Falla who overcame 2011 Halle champion Philipp Kohlschreiber in three sets.