Eight-time champion Roger Federer kept his immaculate record at the Gerry Weber Open intact by reaching the quarter-finals for the 14th consecutive time at this ATP 500 grass tournament in Halle, Germany on Thursday. The top-seeded Swiss needed just 1 hour 9 minutes to defeat Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 6-3, 7-5.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion did not have it all going his way. After winning the opening set, he quickly found himself trailing behind 0-3 in the second set. But the World No. 3 managed to make in-roads into Jaziri’s game twice to secure the victory in 1 hour 8 minutes.
Federer will meet the fifth seed David Goffin in his quest for a semi-final berth. The Belgian came back from a set down to level his second round contest 4-6, 7-5 against qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky. However, the Ukrainian had to retire at 0-2 in the third set due to a back injury.
Third seed and Stuttgart champion Dominic Thiem continues his irrepressible march through the draw. The Austrian, who has won four titles this season, was largely untroubled by the 95th ranked Teymuraz Gabashvili and emerged a 6-4, 6-1 winner.
He will next square off against the German No. 1 Philipp Kohlschreiber in a rematch of the Stuttgart final that they completed this Monday. The two played twice this year and are tied at 1-1.
The German, meanwhile, edged past the ace-king Ivo Karlovic 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-5 for his 385th Tour-level win that tied him with compatriot and 1991 Wimbledon winner Michael Stich.
Murray through to quarters at Queen’s
Defending champion Andy Murray too booked his place in the last-eight stage of the Aegon Championships at the Queen’s Club in London on Thursday. The top seed and World No. 2 reigned supreme 6-3, 6-4 over his countryman Aljaz Bedene to set up a quarter-final clash with another Briton Kyle Edmund.
Third seed MiIos Raonic also progressed courtesy of a 7-5, 7-6(6) win over Jiri Vesely. Bernard Tomic beat Fernando Verdasco 6(2)-7, 6-4, 6-4 while Gilles Muller saved 10 match points as he prevailed 3-6, 7-6(16), 7-6(7) over the seventh seed John Isner.
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