Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic set up dream Cincinnati Masters final

ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic pointing to his head

It is the final that the Western & Southern Open organisers would have dreamed about at the start of the week as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will square off in Sunday’s showpiece match.

Seven-time champion Federer came through his match against David Goffin without having to reach top gear as the Belgian retired midway through the second set.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was leading 7-6 (7-3), 1-1 when Goffin was forced to throw in the towel due to injury.

Federer didn’t have it all his own way, though, as there were no breaks of serve in either set.

“I realised that he was not serving very big,” Federer said. “But it was only after he was treated that I knew something might be wrong.

“I could see that he was unhappy, but I thought he was going to play on.”

The 37-year-old will face Wimbledon champion Djokovic after the Serb overcame 2016 champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The Cincinnati title is the only ATP Tour Masters 1000 trophy missing from Djokovic’s trophy cabinet.

He required more than two hours and 30 minutes to see off the Croatian.

Djokovic broke once in the first set, but Cilic raced into a 3-0 lead in the second set and then consolidated his lead with another break in game six before the 10th seed claimed one break back.

After a break each early in the decider, Djokovic all but wrapped up the match when he broke in game eight as he duly went on to serve it out in the next game.

“It’s tough, I’m very pleased to reach the final once more here,” the 13-time Grand Slam winner said.

“It’s been a difficult week with rain delays and all that was happening. I’ve been down in my last three matches but I’ve come back.”

Novak Djokovic Roger Federer

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