Basel (Switzerland): Top seed and seven-time champion Roger Federer needed less than an hour to dispatch Benoit Paire 6-1 6-3 and reach the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament here Thursday – treating his home fans to another masterclass.
The 36-year-old, chasing an eighth Basel title, has dropped only eight games in two rounds and looks in razor-sharp form as his quest for the year-end No.1 ranking continues.
Twice former champion Juan Martin Del Potro also looked menacing as the fourth seed marched through to the last eight with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of French qualifier Julien Benneteau.
The Argentine is emerging as a late contender to snatch one of the last two places at the ATP World Tour Finals in London and can claim that by winning the title here title thanks to fellow contender Pablo Carreno Busta’s loss in Vienna. Del Potro faces Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut next.
“I’m not thinking too much about London,” said Del Potro, who won the Stockholm title last week. “I just want to keep going and see if I can go far here. Once I finish this tournament we’ll see if I‘m in good condition to play the next one.”
Arriving late for a Federer match is not advisable as the 19-time Major champion is clearly in no mood to offer more entertainment than is required.
He was pushed hard by the unpredictable Paire in his opening service game but thereafter toyed with his opponent as the Swiss reached the quarters here for the 15th time.
Federer faced no breakpoints and finished off the contest with a forehand winner before being given yet another standing ovation by the adoring crowd packed inside the arena. The Swiss will next face Adrian Mannarino who beat Canadian youngster Denis Shapovalov 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
In an all-Croatian battle second seed Marin Cilic also needed a decider to see off Borna Coric, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.
Reuters
