Roger Federer made recoveries in each set as the six-time champion overpowered Juan Del Potro 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5 on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the World Tour Finals Playing the year-end event for the 12th time in succession.

The Swiss superstar will need a rapid turnaround for a showdown against number one Rafael Nadal, with the other semi pitting Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka against Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic won his 20th match since the US Open as he ended group play with a perfect 3-0 record after beating Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3.

Federer and Del Potro were playing for a third consecutive week: the Argentine won in Basel, while Federer took victory eight days ago in Paris and now stands 15-5 in the series.

Federer will be contesting his 11th year-end semi. He now owns a record 44 match wins at the season wrap-up.

“This felt like a final,” Federer said.

“But now I’m in the semis and playing Rafa. I have no day-off, and I have to back it up tomorrow. I’m ready to go, and I’m looking for another great match-up. Nadal’s had one of the great seasons we’ve seen in tennis, but I hope to make his life a bit difficult tomorrow.

We’ll see what happens.” Federer needed nearly two and a half hours, finishing with his 10th ace and posting 39 winners and 36 unforced errors, breaking four times.

As in the first two sets, Federer got into trouble in the third as he trailed 0-3. But a timely lift in form when the pressure was greatest served him well.

“I fought back the whole match — the first, second set... I was really getting angry at myself,” he said.

Federer aced for 3-2 and broke back for 3-all in a game that included a 27-shot rally. Federer kept up the heat, breaking for a 6-5 lead.

With fast new balls a game later, he served out victory in front of 17,000 fans, smashing down an overhead for match point and concluding with a final ace.

“For the first time I was almost feeling like I was kind of in the lead,” Federer said. “It was a great finish. I was very happy. To get the victory was a great feeling.” Federer was ready to give one big push over the next 48 hours.

“I see the light at the end of the tunnel. There’s two more matches, and that’s it. Then the season’s over, for me anyway, if I were to beat Rafa tomorrow.

“I just have to have the right mindset to give it one last go, maybe play with a little less pressure than I have in previous matches, maybe, with him. I feel I need to look at it more as being an underdog a little bit because of circumstances — because of my year, because of his year.

“Maybe that free swinging is what I kind of need to do a little bit more on Sunday.”

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