Top seed Roger Federer eased into the Basel Open quarterfinals with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 victory over Frenchman Benoit Paire on Thursday.
The 36-year-old Swiss took the first set in 23 minutes, winning 70% of points on his first serve, before wrapping up the match in just under an hour without facing a break point, Reuters reported.
World No. 2, 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 number one ranking continues.
Juan Martin del Potro powered past France’s Julien Benneteau to keep his hopes of making the ATP World Tour Finals alive. The Argentine, gunning for his third title in Basel, prevailed 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 29 minutes to set up a clash with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut.
“I did well. I played better than yesterday and tomorrow I need to improve a little bit more,” Del Potro said. “Bautista is one of the toughest guys in the draw and it will be a really, really high-level match tomorrow.”
Del Potro, 14th in the ATP Race to London, can move into the final qualifying spot for the year-ending tournament if he wins the title after Pablo Carreno Busta lost his second-round match in Vienna.
The previous match between del Potro and Federer did not ended up well for del Potro. Federer defeated 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 his rival in the Shanghai Masters cup semi finals and entered final game against Nadal.
Croatian second seed Marin Cilic beat compatriot Borna Coric 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and will face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in the last eight.
