Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of this afternoon's ATP Dubai semi-final between Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet!

WINNER! Federer sets the tone for the final game with an ace down the line, and Gasquet wilts under the world number two's vicious forehands on the next two points. Gasquet then hits disappointingly into the net on the final point, and hands Federer the victory! It'll be a Federer v Djokovic final tomorrow, in a replay of their Australian Open semi-final in January!

BREAK! Federer wins the first point on Gasquet's serve after another decent crosscourt rally, before the Frenchman double-faults. Gasquet hauls himself back to 15-30 when Federer loops a forehand a milimetre over the baseline, but finds himself 15-40 down when he ends another lengthy rally with a limp forehand into the net. He finds the net again on the final point, handing Federer a double break and the chance to serve for the match

And all of a sudden, Federer is back to his indefatigable self! He drops the opening point of the game, before winning four straight points with another display of brutal serve-and-volleying. Federer back on level terms - how will Gasquet respond?

BREAK! It might be nerves from Gasquet, but really took his foot off the gas then. Federer ends the longest rally of the match with a thunderous forehand down the line to go 30-0 up, as Gasquet goes back to just hitting the ball back into play without any real venom. Federer commits another sloppy error - netting with a limp backhand - but earns two break points with a tremendous backhand down the line. He wastes the first, but Gasquet surrenders on the second - slicing a drop shot into the net

BREAK! Gasquet's really turning this around! Federer completely loses his rhythm, and hands Gasquet two break points with some woeful groundstrokes into the tramlines. He saves the first when Gasquet nets, but sends a limp backhand into the net himself on the second to surrender his serve

Gasquet races to 40-0 thanks to two enormous serves, but once again applies the handbrake to his serve and Federer pulls a point back. If it's a deliberate tactic from the Frenchman to play percentages on his serve - it's not working. He wraps up the hold to 15 on the next point

Federer pings a high forehand into the tramlines to start off the sixth game of this second set, but follows it up with a 200km/h ace out wide. Gasquet wins the next point with another big groundstroke, and Federer draws level with another thunderous ace - down the line this time! Federer goes 40-30 up with a sliding first serve that only just clips the sideline, and seals the hold with a fabulous crosscourt forehand.

Gasquet goes 30-0 up on serve, before trying to attack the net. Federer watches him come in, before looping an inch-perfect backhand winner down the line. Fabulous shot. Gasquet regroups, though, and fires a couple of fizzing crosscourt forehands from the baseline to hold serve to 15. He's still spending too much time at the baseline, the Frenchman, but he's really starting to get some bite behind his forehand

Gasquet just beginning to grow into this match, it would seem. Federer tries to get in to the net at 30-15, but Gasquet stops him in his tracks with a lovely, dipping forehand to Fed's feet. He can't carry the momentum into the next two points, however, and Federer comfortably wraps up the game

... Gasquet shows a bit more promise from deuce, however, hitting the ball with real venom to wrap up a vital hold of serve

That's much, much better from Gasquet! He still refuses to budge from the baseline, but pings the ball from left to right until Federer finally fails to get it back over the net. at 30-15 up, Gasquet charges forwards to meet a short forehand from Federer, and slams it right onto the left sideline for game point. A massive baseline rally follows, which Gasquet wns with a sublime backhand down the line! He follows up with another feeble first serve, however, and lets Federer up to deuce...

Federer races to 30-0 up on serve, before pinging a crosscourt forehand into the tramlines to give Gasquet a route back into the game. He thunders a forehand from the baseline for 40-15, before looping another long crosscourt groudnstroke into the tramlines. Federer holds with an ace down the middle - his third of the match

Good start for Gasquet! The Frenchman finally shows a little bit of aggression, and wins a service game to 15 with Federer pinned to the back. Gasquet is hitting 90% of the balls behind the baseline at the moment - which shows just how defensive he's been so far!

First set stats! FEDERER: 2 aces, 79% first serve, 74% points won on first serve, 0 double faults. GASQUET: 1 ace, 71% first serve, 50% points won on first serve, 2 doubler faults

SET! And what a way to seal it! Gasquet offers precious little in terms of a fight - again - as Federer holds serve to 15. He seals the game with a deftly angled, sliced drop-shot from the service line. This match is even more one-sided than the scoreline suggests, and Gasquet is simply being outclassed here

BREAK! Gasquet finds some nice length on his forehands to pin Federer back in the left baseline corner, winning the opening point of his service game as Fed hits into the net. Fed bites back to win the next rally, before a backhand half-volley from the baseline catches the tape to put Federer into a 30-15 lead. Gasquet picks an awful moment for his second double fault of the match, handing Federer two break points, and loops a forehand long on the first to concede the break

Federer races to 40-15 on serve, before hitting a sloppy volley wide from the net. He out-punches Gasquet from the back of the court from 40-30, to take the game. Gasquet is not doing nearly enough with the ball in the rally at the moment

Gasquet finds himself in big trouble again on serve - struggling to really drag Federer out wide from the off and handing him a break point. Federer drops a weak backhand uncharacteristically short into the net to let the Frenchman off, and Gasdquet goes on the hold by doing little more than keeping the ball in play. Federer is usually so ruthless in those situations, that's a real let-off for Gasquet

Federer bullies Gasquet from the net on his way to 30-0, before watching Gasquet send a backhand into the net from the baseline for game point. Federer pings a forehand into the tramlines to offer Gasquet a foothold in the game, before looping a backhand horribly long over the baseline for 40-30! A tepid second serve puts Gasquet on the front foot in the next point, but Federer wraps up the game from deuce. Some signs of fallibility beginning to emerge in Fed's game early on!

Gasquet finds a response to Federer's net play - sending a sensational passing forehand down the line. Federer answers with a backhand right into the baseline corner, as both players really start to find the lines with their groundstrokes. Federer takes Gasquet to deuce again, but drops a limp backhand into the net to hand the Frenchman a morale-boosting hold.