BASEL: Roger Federer got the better of old foe Rafa Nadal for the first time in more than three years to win a seventh Basel title 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 on Sunday.

Top seed Federer, whose rivalry with Nadal is one of the most storied in tennis history, had not beaten the Spaniard since he won a semifinal at Indian Wells in 2012 and had lost their last five meetings.

Playing his 12th final in his home town, Federer survived a break point in his opening service game before grabbing the upper hand.

The Swiss broke twice to take the opening set and then went about putting pressure on third seed Nadal at the start of the second, crafting a break point at 3-2 ahead.

Nadal, however, dug deep to stay in the contest and then claimed his first break of the match for a 6-5 lead as Federer netted a backhand, leaving the Mallorcan to serve out to love.

The Swiss broke decisively to lead 5-3 in the third set and then served out to take the title, the 88th of his career, after two hours and three minutes of battle.

Sousa ends finals jinx

In Madrid, Joao Sousa ended a run of three consecutive defeats in finals this year when the unseeded Portuguese fought back to beat Roberto Bautista Agut 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and claim the Valencia Open title on Sunday.

Sousa, who has lost finals in Switzerland, Croatia and Russia in 2015, secured his second career title when he converted four of his five break points to upset seventh-seeded Bautista Agut in front of his home crowd.

The Spaniard, appearing in a second final in as many weeks having lost to Croat Marin Cilic at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow last weekend, needed treatment after Sousa leveled the match at one-set all on the indoor hard court.

World No. 24 Bautista Agut needed more than two hours and had to save six match points to get past American Steve Johnson 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8) on Saturday.

Sousa, ranked 46, dropped only one set on the way to the final, his seventh on the ATP Tour, and the Valencia title follows his only other success, in Kuala Lumpur in 2013.

“Congratulations to Roberto for his match, because I also know how tough it is to play at home,” Sousa said at the trophy presentation. “He is my friend and I am very sorry.”

Bautista Agut thanked the crowd for their support and congratulated Sousa for his “great year.”