Swiss Roger Federer returns a ball to Serbian Novak Djokovic during their Swiss Indoors ATP tennis tournament final match on November 7, 2010 in Basel. AFP (credit: FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
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Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer lead a star-studded field for the Swiss Indoors this week in Basel.
Many years ago, Federer applied to be a ball boy at his hometown event and watched on star-struck as his childhood heroes battled it out for the title. Little did anyone know that he would go on to be one of the greatest of all time and a prolific champion in Basel. He's won it four times since 2006 with only Novak Djokovic interrupting the streak in 2009, unseating Federer in three sets to the dismay of the Swiss fans.
Djokovic is top seed this year, returning to the tour after a month's break. Federer is the only man to have beaten a fully fit Djokovic in 2011 and the Swiss will be intent on revenge this week after his dramatic US Open semi-final defeat. The surface in Basel does suit Federer down to the ground, it's fast and low bouncing so his adversaries aren't able to attack his backhand as effectively.
World number three Andy Murray has accepted the challenge of taking on these two, picking up a late wildcard. Murray is the form player of the moment after winning three titles during a blistering run in Asia.
Servers like Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and Tomas Berdych are always going to be dangerous on a surface this quick and there's also the in-form Janko Tipsarevic throwing some uncertainty into the mix.
