Three-time defending champion and World No. 1 Roger Federer meets countryman Marco Chiudinelli in the first all-Swiss semi-final on the ATP World Tour since 1995 (Jakob Hlasek defeated Marc Rosset in Gstaad).   The match-up marks the first time two Swiss players have reached the Swiss Indoors semi-finals in the same year since 2006 when Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka were in opposite ends of the draw. In the other semi-final, No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic, winner of three titles in 2009, is attempting to reach his ninth final of the year when he faces No. 5 seed Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic, a two-time winner on the ATP World Tour this year. Federer, the only player remaining yet to lose a set this week and winner of four titles in 2009, is trying to reach his seventh final of the season, while Chiudinelli is through to his first career ATP World Tour semi-final. Djokovic is attempting to win his 70th match of the season (69-18), tops on the ATP World Tour.

SATURDAY SEMI-FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS – In Order of Play

Centre Court

(5) Radek Stepanek (CZE) vs (2) Novak Djokovic (SRB) Djokovic Leads 4-1
06 Zagreb (Croatia) Carpet R16 Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-4
06 Rotterdam (The Netherlands) Hard QF Radek Stepanek 7-5 4-6    7-6(2)
07 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R64 Novak Djokovic 6-7(4)7-6(5)5-7 7-5  7-6(2)
08 ATP Masters Series Rome (Italy) Clay SF Novak Djokovic 6-0 1-0 ret
09 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Novak Djokovic 6-1 6-3 6-3

Stepanek FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: Brisbane (d Verdasco); San Jose (d Fish); F: Memphis (l Roddick); QF: Barcelona (l Davydenko); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (l Davydenko); Vienna (l Melzer)
YTD W-L: 44-18
YTD Titles: 2
Career Titles: 4
Date of Birth: November 27, 1978
South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking: 14

• Stepanek, 30, fought back from a set down for the second day in a row to secure a spot in the semi- finals with a 46 63 63 win over No. 4 seed Marin Cilic in the quarter-finals…Earlier in the week he defeated Rainer Schuettler 62 60 and Florent Serra 36 76(1) 76(1)
• The top player from the Czech Republic is appearing in his fourth ATP World Tour semi-final or better this year…Has held serve 34 of 37 games this week, saving 13 of 16 break points
• He is attempting to reach his fourth ATP World Tour final of the year, the first since Memphis in February (l. to Roddick)…During his career, he is 4-6 in ATP World Tour finals (2-5 indoors)
• His five previous QF or better results included winning third and fourth ATP World Tour titles of his career at Brisbane (d. Verdasco) and San Jose (d. Fish), runner-up finish at Memphis (l. to Roddick) and QF on clay at Barcelona (l. to Davydenko) and at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai three weeks ago (l. to Davydenko)
• Last week he reached the quarter-finals in Vienna where he lost to eventual champion Jurgen Melzer
• He has compiled a 44-18 match record in 2009, including 32-11 on hard courts and 17-3 indoors (most wins in ’09)…He is 19-42 lifetime against Top 10 opponents, including 3-7 this year
• Also helped his country to its first Davis Cup final since 1980 (will play Spain in December)…Has a 3-1 singles mark…In first round tie vs. France, lost to No. 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in second rubber before clinching tie with straight-sets win over No. 8 Gilles Simon in fourth rubber
• In July, he beat Argentina’s Juan Monaco in fifth and decisive rubber in quarter-finals…Last month, survived a record 78 aces by Ivo Karlovic in opening rubber to win 16-14 in fifth set in 5:59 marathon
• In Grand Slam play play reached 3rd Rd. or better each time…At Australian Open (l. to Verdasco in 3rd Rd.), Roland Garros (l. to Cilic in 3rd Rd.), Wimbledon (won back-to-back five-setters vs. Starace in 2nd Rd. and Ferrer in 3rd Rd. before falling to Hewitt in 4th Rd., also in five sets) and US Open (l. to Djokovic in 4th Rd.)…Ranked as high as No. 8 on July 7, 2006

Djokovic FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: Dubai (d Ferrer); Belgrade (d Kubot); Beijing (d Cilic); F: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami (l Murray); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte Carlo (l Nadal); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (l Nadal); Halle (l Haas); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (l Federer); SF: Sydney (l Nieminen); Marseille (l Tsonga); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (l Nadal); US Open (l Federer); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (l Davydenko); QF: Australian Open (l Roddick); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (l Roddick); Wimbledon (l Haas); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada (l Roddick)
YTD W-L: 69-18
YTD Titles: 3/Career Titles: 14
Date of Birth: May 22, 1987
South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking: 3

• Djokovic, 22, rallied for a 36 76(5) 62 win over No. 6 seed Stanislas Wawrinka to earn a trip into the semi-finals for the 14th time on the ATP World Tour in 20 tournaments this season and fifth semi-final or better in a row… A day earlier, posted the first double bagel win in his career Thursday over Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic…On Tuesday he made his Basel debut with a 63 75 victory over German Andreas Beck
• The Serb also is attempting to reach his ATP World Tour-best ninth final in 2009 and is trying for his first indoor final of the year
• Since opening the year with a first round loss to Ernests Gulbis in Brisbane, has reached the quarter-finals or better in 18 of his next 19 tournaments (except Roland Garros, 3rd Rd.)
• He has advanced to four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 finals this season, including three consecutive  – Miami (l. to Murray), Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal in three sets) and Rome (l. to Nadal)…Also runner-up in Cincinnati in August (l. to Federer)…Has a 28-7 record in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events in ‘09
• Owns three titles in 2009 and leads the ATP World Tour in overall match wins (69) and hard court wins (44)…He is co-leader (w/Nadal) with eight finals…The Serb has recorded at least 60 match wins for the third straight season and trying to win 70 matches for the first time in a year
• Last month, he collected his third ATP World Tour title of the year in Beijing (d. Cilic)
• His other titles have come in his hometown of Belgrade (d. Kubot) on clay in May and in Dubai (d. Ferrer) on hard courts in late February
• In March at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, came in as defending champion and lost to Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals…Earlier in the month lost both of his singles matches on clay in a first round Davis Cup tie in Spain, falling to David Ferrer and Nadal in fourth rubber, which clinched the tie
• Prior to Davis Cup, defeated No. 8 Gilles Simon (SF) and David Ferrer (on Feb. 28) in the Dubai final for his first ATP World Tour title of the season
(1) Roger Federer (SUI) vs (WC) Marco Chiudinelli (SUI)   First Meeting

Federer FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
W: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (d Nadal); Roland Garros (d Soderling); Wimbledon (d Roddick); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d Djokovic); F: Australian Open (l Nadal); US Open (l Del Potro); SF: Doha (l Murray); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Indian Wells (l Murray); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami (l Djokovic); ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome (l Djokovic); QF: ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Canada (l Tsonga)
YTD W-L: 58-8
YTD Titles: 4
Career Titles: 61
Date of Birth: August 8, 1981
South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking: 1

• Federer, 28, advanced Friday to the semi-finals in his quickest match of the week, a 55-minute 63 62 win over Russian Evgeny Korolev…The world No. 1 remains the only player in the draw not to drop a set and his serve this week
• The three-time defending champion in Basel, enters the semi-finals with an 18-match winning streak in Basel (32-6 career mark) with early round wins over Belgian qualifier Olivier Rochus 63 64 and Italian Andreas Seppi 63 63 in the second round…Since losing to Ivan Ljubicic in the second round in Basel in 2003, returned in 2006 and has won titles in ‘06 (d. Gonzalez), 2007 (d. Nieminen) and 2008 (d. Nalbandian)
• He faces a fellow Swiss player for the 14th time in his career on the ATP World Tour, holding a 10-3 record against Swiss players with his only losses coming in April this year to Stanislas Wawrinka in Monte Carlo and twice to Marc Rosset in 2000 at Marseille and London
• Has held serve in all 28 service games this week, saving four breaks…This is his first tournament since reaching his sixth straight final at the U.S. Open (l. del Potro in five sets) on Sept. 14
• The No. 1 player on the ATP World Tour has a 58-8 match record on the season, including 33-6 on hard courts…He has won 37 of his past 39 matches…He is 4-2 in finals
• This year, from mid-May to July, he won three straight titles at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Madrid (d. Nadal), Roland Garros (d. Soderling) and Wimbledon (d. Roddick), setting the Grand Slam record with 15 titles…Then in August he captured his third title at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati (d. Djokovic)…Has won at least one title for nine straight years (since 2001)
• This is his 255th week at No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings (since 1973), which is fourth all-time behind Pete Sampras (286), Ivan Lendl (270) and Jimmy Connors (268)
• The Swiss superstar became the sixth man in history to complete a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros in his 11th attempt by defeating Swede Robin Soderling in straight sets in the final…Lost six sets en route to the title, the most of any Grand Slam title run and was pushed to five sets by Tommy Haas in the fourth and Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals                                                           
• Four weeks later he won a record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, where he collected his sixth crown at the All England Club...Only dropped one set (against Kohlschreiber) en route to a record seventh straight Wimbledon final, where he defeated Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fifth set, breaking the American for the first time in the final game of the match after he held 37 straight service games…Fired a personal-best 50 aces in the epic battle…By clinching his 60th tour-level title – the most among active players, he reclaimed No. 1 ranking on July 6 after Nadal held the top spot for 46 weeks earlier
• He opened the first month with a SF in Doha (l. to Murray) and followed with runner-up at the Australian Open, falling to rival Nadal in five sets...It was his first loss in a Grand Slam hard court final (8-1)...He then withdrew from Dubai and first round Davis Cup tie vs. the U.S. with a back injury…Returned from a six-week layoff due and advanced to the SF in Indian Wells, defeating No. 17 Fernando Gonzalez and No. 10 Fernando Verdasco before losing to No. 4 Andy Murray for the fourth straight time

Chiudinelli FastFacts:
2009 Highlights:
QF: Bangkok (l Tsonga)
YTD W-L: 11-11
YTD Titles: 0
Career Titles: 0
Date of Birth: September 10, 1981
South African Airways 2009 ATP Ranking: 73

• Chiudinelli, 28, followed up a tough quarter-final win with a 61-minute 61 63 victory of Frenchman Richard Gasquet, firing 13 aces and a 90-percent first serve points won (28 of 31) to reach his first-ever ATP World Tour semi-final
• On Tuesday, he defeated No. 8 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 76(5) 36 75 on Tuesday and followed with a 26 63 63 win over countryman Michael Lammer…He is making his fifth appearance in Basel (4-4 record) and before this week won his only match in 2004 (d. Montanes)
• On serve this week, has held 33 of 37 games while saving 19 of 23 break points
• He has qualified seven times this year on the ATP World Tour, including four in a row this fall (US Open, Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai)
• He reached a career-high ranking of No. 71 last week, putting him behind World No. 1 Roger Federer and No. 21 Stanislas Wawrinka as the top Swiss players…If he reaches the final he will move into the Top 50 next week
• All of his matches prior to this week have been on hard courts as he improved to an 11-11 overall match record on the ATP World Tour …He is 0-4 lifetime against Top 10 opponents (0-3 in ’09)
• Last month he advanced to his first career ATP World Tour quarter-final result in Bangkok where he lost to No. 7-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets…He followed up by qualifying into Tokyo (d. Sela, l. to Monfils) and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (l. to Bellucci)
• He also qualified at the US Open, reaching the third round with wins over Potito Starace and Mikhail Youzhny before losing to Davydenko
• He is a candidate for ATP Comeback Player of the Year after finishing last season ranked No. 779...He underwent left knee surgery on Nov. 14, 2007 and didn't return to competition until August 2008...He played in four Challenger and three Futures events, closing the year with a title at Dubai #1 Futures
• In March, he played in first round Davis Cup tie against the U.S. and lost to Roddick and Blake in straight sets

POTENTIAL FINAL HEAD-TO-HEADS

Roger Federer (SUI) vs Radek Stepanek (CZE)   Federer Leads 8-2
02 Gstaad (Switzerland) Clay R16 Radek Stepanek 3-6 6-3 6-2
04 Gstaad (Switzerland) Clay QF Roger Federer 6-1 5-7 6-4
06 ATP Masters Series Rome (Italy) Clay R16 Roger Federer 6-1 6-4
07 ATP Masters Series Canada (Canada)Hard SF Roger Federer 7-6(6)6-2
07 CZE v. SUI WG PO (Czech Republic)Carpet RR Roger Federer 6-3 6-2 6-7(4)  7-6(5)
08 ATP Masters Series Rome (Italy) Clay QF Radek Stepanek 7-6(4)7-6(7)
08 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard R32 Roger Federer 6-3 6-3 6-2
08 ATP Masters Series Madrid (Spain) Hard R32 Roger Federer 6-3 7-6(6)
08 Tennis Masters Cup (China) Hard RR Roger Federer 7-6(4)6-4
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay R16 Roger Federer 6-4 6-1

Roger Federer (SUI) vs Novak Djokovic (SRB)   Federer Leads 9-4
06 ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo  Clay R64 Roger Federer 6-3 2-6 6-3
06 SUI v. SCG WG PO (Switzerland) Hard RR Roger Federer 6-3 6-2 6-3
07 Australian Open (Australia) Hard R16 Roger Federer 6-2 7-5 6-3
07 Dubai (U.A.E.) Hard QF Roger Federer 6-3 6-7(6)6-3
07 ATP Masters Series Canada (Canada)Hard F Novak Djokovic 7-6(2)2-6 7-6(2)
07 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard F Roger Federer 7-6(4)7-6(2)6-4
08 Australian Open (Australia) Hard SF Novak Djokovic 7-5 6-3 7-6(5)
08 ATP Masters Series Monte Carlo  Clay SF Roger Federer 6-3 3-2 ret
08 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard SF Roger Federer 6-3 5-7 7-5 6-2
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami  Hard SF Novak Djokovic 3-6 6-2 6-3
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Rome Clay SF Novak Djokovic 4-6 6-3 6-3
09 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati Hard F Roger Federer 6-1  7-5
09 US Open (U.S.A.) Hard SF Roger Federer 7-6(3)7-5 7-5

Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) vs Radek Stepanek (CZE)   First Meeting

Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) vs Novak Djokovic (SRB)  First ATP Meeting
Other Meetings:
04 Belgrade CH (Serbia) Carpet R32 Marco Chiudinelli 6-3 6-2