October 24, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 30, 1427

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BASEL, Oct 23: Roger Federer will arrive in triumph to play his hometown Swiss Indoors while defending champion Fernando Gonzalez may not pull up fit for his title defence.

The penultimate-week event of the ATP season will be a joyous homecoming for Federer after beating Gonzalez 7-5, 6-1, 6-0 on Sunday to win his first career title in Spain at the Madrid Masters.

But Gonzalez, who took treatment on his right arm prior to the third set, has hinted that his fitness might intervene. He could be helped by the tournament's unique Tuesday start.

“If I had to play on Monday, no way,” said the Chilean, who stands ninth in the chase for a place in the eight-man Masters Cup next month in Shanghai.

“But I won't play until Wednesday, I'll go to Basel and see how I feel,” said the third seed, who defeated Marcos Baghdatis for the trophy a year ago.

“I'm hoping to play, but we'll have to see. It's tough playing so many weeks in a row,” said the losing finalist last week in Vienna.

Federer has not starred at home since 2003 and was on crutches meeting-and-greeting a year ago after rolling his ankle in practice.

The world No 1 opens against a qualifier, as does second seed David Nalbandian of Argentina, whom Federer crushed 6-4, 6-0 in the Madrid semi-finals.

Czech Tomas Berdych, the world No l4, will surely find tranquil Switzerland a relief after being roundly and continuously jeered in the wake of his Madrid upset of Rafael Nadal.

The world No 2 Spaniard was to have played in Basel, but withdrew for personal reasons. Briton Andy Murray will take the sixth seeding behind Spain's David Ferrer. The Scot begins against Argentine teenager Juan del Potro.—AFP