Gonzalez routs Wawrinka to reach Swiss Open final

BASEL: Fernando Gonzalez powered into his third indoor final in as many weeks as he pounded out a 6-4, 6-4 victory over home player Stanislas Wawrinka at the Swiss Indoors on Saturday.   

The victory in one hour, 19 minutes prevented any possibility of an all-Swiss final, with Roger Federer next facing Thai Paradorn Srichaphan in the other semi-final.   

Chile's Gonzalez has been the iron man of the indoor season, losing finals this month against Ivan Ljubicic in Vienna and going down to Federer for the eighth time in his career last Sunday in Madrid.   

Saturday's victory boosted Gonzalez' chances of qualifying into the field of next month's season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, where the last four spots in the eight-man event must be decided over the next eight days.   

The South American, now 4-0 against Wawrinka, improved his season record to 49-20, standing 13-2 in Basel where he won his lone indoor title a year ago.   

Gonzalez becomes the third man this season behind Federer and Rafael Nadal to enter three finals in succession on the ATP. The South American has now won 24 of 30 matches and added to his ninth standing in the year-end chase.   

Federer is carrying a 22-match win streak with ten titles this season. He has never won in Basel after losing a pair of finals.