BASEL, Switzerland (AFP) –Roger Federer rated his 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 win over Rafael Nadal as the best of his Swiss Indoors career after claiming a seventh title at his home event yesterday.

The 34-year-old Swiss took special pride in the two-hour victory after last beating Nadal three and a half years ago.

He improved to 11-23 in the series which defined men’s tennis for a decade.

Federer and Nadal last met in the Australian Open semi-finals nearly two years ago and played their last final in Rome in 2013.

Yesterday’s win was Federer’s 88th career title while taking his season record to 58-9.

The win at the St Jakobshalle gave Federer his first victory over Nadal since the semi-finals of the 2012 Indian Wells Masters, and ended a five-match winning streak by the Spaniard.

Nadal had won 14 of their previous finals, with Federer claiming six.

But the Swiss has now improved to 5-1 against Nadal on indoor surfaces.

Nadal was still pleased with his own effort this week.

Top seed Federer got away to a good start, earning a break for 3-2 and concluded the opener with a second break to take the lead after 37 minutes.

But Nadal, who has been making comebacks all week, was having none of it.

With Federer on a roll, the Swiss won the fifth game with three aces and fired his ninth ace to secure a 5-4 lead.

Nadal earned a break point in the next game and converted to shock the Swiss with a 6-5 lead.

The Spanish third seed quickly levelled the match at a set each on the first of three set points.

Federer came alive just in time in the final set, breaking for 5-3 and serving out victory a game later on his second match point after two hours.

Basel is the fifth tour event at which Federer has won at least seven times.

He has eight titles on grass at Halle, Germany, his all-time best.