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BASEL, Switzerland -- Roger Federer is playing better tennis these days -- just not quite good enough to win titles again. Juan Martin del Potro denied Federer his hometown Swiss Indoors title for the second straight year, winning the final 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4 on Sunday. Federer trailed throughout his first final in more than four months, though showed no sign of the back problems which have hampered him during the most difficult season of his career. "I am a winner, I dont take much confidence from losing matches," Federer said. "I am happy about the level of my play, its getting better, but its not in losing where I get much confidence." Federer had hoped that the raucous crowd support in Basel -- where he is a five-time champion -- could help revive his form, but he has still won just one title in the past 14 months. Del Potro beat the player he described as "a big inspiration" for the third straight time, including the 2012 Basel final. "I think Roger is playing well," the top-seeded Argentine said. "For me, he has the perfect game. He played much better when he has the chance to play the top guys." Still, with this loss against fifth-ranked del Potro, Federer has only one victory against a top-10 opponent in 2013. That was back in January, against then-No. 8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open quarterfinals, before a series of shocking defeats against opponents outside the top 50. Federer can take one positive from his Swiss Indoors run, as it all but secured a place in the eight-man lineup at the ATP World Tour Finals in London starting a week from Monday. The sixth-ranked Swiss would confirm his London place at the Paris Masters in midweek if he wins a second-round match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa or Mikhail Youzhny of Russia. Even with a loss, he can only be kept out by an unlikely sequence of victories for several rivals in the points race. "Looking forward to Paris and London, he is going to be a really difficult opponent," del Potro said. "Then he has the time for recovery to be ready for next season." Del Potro earned his 17th career title and fourth this season. He also won at Rotterdam in February, Washington D.C. in August and Tokyo this month, all on his favoured hard-court surface. The 32-year-old Federer still holds a 13-5 career record against del Potro, but last beat him in the London Olympics semifinals at Wimbledon. On Sunday, Federer lost the first set despite playing some of his best tennis this week. After del Potro forced a 5-3 lead with the first break, Federer responded with four straight points on his opponents serve and shouted in triumph. Facing two set points in the next game, Federer hit an ace and won a long, slugging rally that brought a yell of delight from the sold-out crowd of 9,200. Still, del Potro dominated the tiebreaker helped by two net cords in his favour, and clinched the set when Federer sent a forehand wide. Federer levelled the match with much less drama in the second set, after breaking to take a 2-0 lead with a forehand crosscourt winner. He broke again to clinch the set, set up by a pinpoint forehand winner, and got a standing ovation as he headed back to his seat. "Roger started to play much better. In the finals, you cant relax in any moment," del Potro said. Federer quickly wasted the advantage of serving first in the decider, despite saving a break point with a leaping backhand overhead winner after del Potros deft lob. He double-faulted to give del Potro a second opportunity and then hit a forehand long. "I did hand the break over to him a little bit too easily in the third set but I did well today," Federer said. Serving for the match, del Potro hit an ace to set up three match points, and converted the second with strong ground strokes to move Federer around the court. Del Potro improved to 48-13 this season and earned 348,000 euros ($480,000) for the victory. Federer, now 40-14 in 2013, was playing his first final since winning the low-key grass-court event in June at Halle, Germany. He remains tied with John McEnroe on 77 career singles titles, third most during the 45-year Open era. Jimmy Connors has 109 titles and Ivan Lendl has 94. "He is also a better person than he is a tennis player," del Potro said of Federer. "I am very proud to have a good relationship with him." Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey . Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Allen Craig on the 15-day disabled list with a right knee contusion on Sunday. Jordan Crawford Pelicans Jersey .That sight softened the blow of what ended up as a 4-3 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.Knowing their teammate was fine after a scary headfirst fall in the opening minute of the game helped calm the Maple Leafs. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Anthony-Davis-Pelicans-Jersey/ . Patty Mills had 20 points, Tim Duncan had 11 points and 13 rebounds in limited action, and San Antonio rolled to a 110-82 victory over Milwaukee that kept the Bucks winless in the new year. Nikola Mirotic Jersey .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions. Jordan Crawford Jersey . -- Arizona pitcher Bronson Arroyo is expected to miss a week to 10 days because of a back injury. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays are hopeful that a successful series against Houston is the start of a turnaround. Yunel Escobar drove in two runs during a three-run sixth inning and the Rays beat the Astors 5-2 on Sunday. Escobar hit a two-run single and Sean Rodriguez had an RBI grounder off Dallas Keuchel (8-5) to give the Rays a 4-2 lead in the sixth. The Rays are 8-18 over their past 26 games, including five wins in seven games against Houston. Tampa Bay took three of four in the weekend series. "We won, thats the bottom line," Rays third baseman Evan Longoria said. "Weve got a lot of work to do. We put ourselves in a pretty good hole, but I think that the belief on a daily basis is still we can come to the ballpark and win." Keuchel allowed five runs and nine hits in an eight-inning complete game. It was his third complete game this season. "We did some good things today against a tough pitcher," Longoria said. Dexter Fowler put the Astros up 1-0 when he hit the first pitch of the game from Erik Bedard into the left-field seats. It was his ninth career leadoff homer and third this season. Bedard, who was with Houston last season, gave up two runs and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings. Juan Carlos Oviedo (3-2) got two outs in the sixth for the win. Joel Peralta pitched the ninth for his first save. Rodriguez made it 5-2 on an eighth-inning sacrifice fly. Houston took a 2-1 lead in the third on Jose Altuves single. Jonathan Villar opened the inning with a double, was awarded a steal of third after a replay challenge resulted in an out call being overturned and scored on the hit by Altuve. Altuve has 13 hits in his past 24 at-bats. The Rays tied it at 1 in the bottom of the first on Longorias single Desmond Jennings wass caught attempting to steal home with Longoria batting to end the third, a call that was confirmed by a replay review.dddddddddddd After catcher Carlos Corporan threw the ball back to Keuchel, Jennings broke for the plate, but was tagged by Corporan after a return throw from Keuchel. "I know he does some uncharacteristic stuff," Kuechel said. "I dont turn my back from the guy on third, so I caught him out of the corner of my eye and just tried to get the ball out as soon as possible." "I still think Desmond was safe," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "I think throughout this whole process, the think thats really standing out to me, Im into replay, I still believe there needs to be a separate group of umpires that are just out there specifically for replay only. That I hope would be the next step in regards to getting this thing nailed down." NOTES: SS Carlos Correa, taken first overall in the 2012 draft by the Astros, left Saturdays game with Class A Lancaster with a right ankle injury, which occurred while sliding. He will go on the disabled list. "Carlos was examined last night at a local hospital in California," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He will travel to Houston early this week to be evaluated further by the Astros medical staff before determining next steps." ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb (2-5) will go against Pirates RHP Edinson Volquez (4-6) in the opener of a three-game series Monday. ... The Astros are off Monday. ... Houston starts a three-game series Tuesday against Atlanta with RHP Scott Feldman (3-4) and Braves RHP Aaron Harang (5-6) the scheduled starters. ... Three-year old Ireland Nugent, who has been fitted with leg prosthetics after a lawnmower accident, threw the ceremonial first pitch. ' ' '