Roger Federer

Basel: Three-time defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals by beating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Federer served solidly to make it six matches against the 51st-ranked Seppi without dropping a set. “It was a bit tougher (than the first round), but I was able to raise my game at a few crucial moments and that was the difference,” said Federer, who rested through October. “I recuperated and worked a bit to get in shape and can play maybe this (late in the) season in good health, which last year wasn’t the case.”

Fifth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic missed all 16 break points but still beat lucky loser Florent Serra of France 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (1) to advance.

In the first round, fourth-seeded Marin Cilic beat Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-4, 6-4 to keep alive his chances of qualifying for the ATP Tour finals in London.

The Croat, a wild-card entry, likely needs to win the Swiss Indoors and do well at the Paris Masters next week to make the eight-player lineup at London. He is currently 12th.

Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez began play 10th on the list, but the Chilean lost 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 to John Isner of the United States in the late match.

Another rival for a London place, No. 11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, has an injured left wrist and retired from his match on Wednesday at the tournament in Valencia, Spain. In other first-round action, Stanislas Wawrinka rallied to beat Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, last week's winner in Lyon, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4.

Jeremy Chardy toughed out a 7-6 (4), 6-7 (6), 6-4 victory over seventh seed James Blake from the US.

(AP)