Federer sends Dimitrov packing, closes in on 1000th career win

Federer is just one win away from 1000

Brisbane, Jan 10 (IANS)

World No.2 and record 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is on the verge of reaching yet another milestone after registering his 999th professional career win, beating Grigor Dimitrov to reach the Brisbane International tennis fina onl Saturday.

The 6-2, 6-2 victory, completed in just 53 minutes, moved the top seed to within one win of his 1,000th career triumph.

The 33-year-old Swiss maestro beat the Bulgarian to set up a final with Canadian Milos Raonic Sunday.

Raonic defeated Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-7(4-7), 7-6(7-4), 7-6(7-4) in the other semi-final.

Federer will become the third man, after American Jimmy Connors and Czech Ivan Lendl, to secure 1,000 wins if he wins Sunday. It will also secure him his 83rd career title.

Connors holds the record for most wins with 1,253, with Ivan Lendl second on 1,071 victories.