Federer, Tsonga final

PARIS (AP):

Roger Federer played a masterful match against Tomas Berdych to set up a Paris Masters final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who saved three match points against American John Isner yesterday.

Federer used his strong serve and did not face a break point in cruising past Berdych 6-4, 6-3.

Tsonga edged the unseeded Isner 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3) in a gritty contest lasting nearly three hours, a contrast to Federer's 80-minute victory.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion broke the fifth-seeded Berdych's serve at the start of each set to take control.

Wonderful performance

"I really played great today. I didn't give Tomas much. I was able to play aggressive and serve good, so overall it was a wonderful performance," Federer said. "I just felt like I was reading his serve, I was playing well from the baseline."

Tsonga and Federer will meet for the sixth time this year and first since the United States (US). Open quarter-finals when Federer prevailed. Federer leads 5-3 overall, but two of Tsonga's wins this year came at Wimbledon and the Rogers Cup.

"I have no particular problem playing against him. I'm not afraid of him," Federer said. "I would be afraid of him in the first round, but (not) in the final, when I feel good."

Aims for his eighth career title

Tsonga won his only Masters title in Paris three years ago and aims for his eighth career title. He almost threw away the semi-final against Isner. Serving at 40-15 up in the 12th game of the third set, he let Isner back in.

"It was a war of nerves. The crowd helped me and it was an advantage playing in France," Tsonga said. "When I had match points against me, I said encouraging things to myself and I managed to save myself."

Tsonga saved three match points, with Isner helping him with unforced errors from the baseline.

"You come so close to winning, it gets taken away from you. It wasn't to be," Isner said. "He came up with the goods, hats off to him. That's why he's one of the best players in the world, he came up big."