DUBAI: Roger Federer trounced Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-2, 6-1 at the Dubai Championships on Friday to set up a potential final showdown with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Federer may have failed to win a grand slam title since triumphing at Wimbledon in 2012 but he remains a formidable competitor as Coric discovered in their semifinal.

The 18-year-old, who last year became the youngest player to crack the top 100 since Rafa Nadal burst through in 2003, had high hopes of reaching his first ATP final after thumping Andy Murray in the last eight but found himself on the receiving end of a Federer masterclass.

“I remember like yesterday ... how it was coming into the tour, being able to play the players I had seen on TV,” Federer, 33, said in a courtside interview.

Federer will play Djokovic or world number eight Tomas Berdych in his 126th tour final as he seeks a seventh Dubai title.

“I never thought I would play that many finals. I keep traveling the world doing what I do, it’s usually to a full house and that keeps me motivated,” Federer added.

Grunting with almost every stroke, Coric fell 2-0 behind in the first set before a careless surrendered his own serve with a double fault and a netted forehand.

But from 3-2 up there was no stopping the Swiss, who took advantage of a Coric double fault and a skewed forehand to wrap up the set.

The 17-time grand slam champion’s variety of strokes was mesmerising as he dragged his opponent around the court before rushing the net at every opportunity for the stop volley winner.

Coric even turned away before Federer despatched a smash to take a 2-0 lead in the second set.

“He was just way too good for me,” Coric told reporters. “I was feeling so rushed. I didn’t have any time to play my game plan. I was just trying to hold in the rally. I was nervous.”

Federer surged 5-1 up as a half volley pulled Coric out wide and the Croat could only scuff his effort into the net.

Federer wrapped it up with ease, charging the net yet again as Coric thumped a forehand long. (Reporting by Matt Smith, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Safarova reaches Qatar final for first time

Wimbledon semifinalist Lucie Safarova breezed through to her first ever Qatar Open final, comprehensively beating Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets on Friday.

Left-hander Safarova won 6-3, 6-2 in a semifinal which she totally dominated and lasted little over an hour.

The Czech broke the Spaniard’s serve in the second game of the first set and was rarely troubled by her opponent.

She dropped her serve just once, in the seventh game of the first set, but immediately broke back to restore her advantage and served out for the set straight after.

A demoralized Suarez Navarro, who had knocked out number one seed Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals, had few answers to the Czech’s powerful groundstrokes and ended up losing tamely.

It was only the third time the pair had played each other, Safarova also winning the two previous encounters.

It means Safarova, 28, who reached the Wimbledon singles semifinals in 2014, could play Venus Williams in the final just a week after beating her in straight sets in the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Williams plays Victoria Azarenka later on Friday.

Safarova said she “didn’t mind” who she played in Saturday’s final.