Roger Federer fights back to beat Tommy Haas and reach Halle final

World number three Roger Federer edged closer to his first title of the season when he beat defending champion Tommy Haas 3-6 6-3 6-4 at the Halle Open on Saturday to book a spot in Sunday's final.

The 31-year-old Swiss looked sharp on the grass court after an erratic start in what was a rematch of last year's final as he prepares for his title defence at Wimbledon this month. Federer, five-times champion at Halle, will play either Frenchman Richard Gasquet or Russian Mikhail Youzhny who contest the other semi-final later on Saturday.

Federer's unusually erratic forehand earned 35-year-old Haas his first break points at 3-2 and another long crosscourt forehand by the Swiss gave the world number 11 a two-game cushion. Haas, whose 2012 final win over Federer was his first in 10 years against him, saved two break points at 5-2 to serve out the set when Federer pushed another forehand long.

The tables were turned in the second set with Federer racing to a 3-0 lead after breaking Haas with a much more aggressive game. After drawing level, Federer kept up the pressure to earn yet another break when Haas double-faulted twice in a row to go 3-1 up and he clinch victory on his second match point.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Ed Osmond)