Federer, Del Potro on song in Rotterdam

15 February 2013 00:18

Top seed Roger Federer had no issues in advancing to the quarter-finals of the ABN Amro in Rotterdam with a straight-sets victory.

The Swiss champion took only an hour and four minutes to eliminate the Netherlands' Thiemo de Bakker 6-3 6-4 to set-up a meeting with Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the last eight.

Defending champion Federer saved the only break point he faced in a commanding performance.

Second seed Juan Martin Del Potro struggled through the first set but eventually got the better of Latvia's Ernests Gulbis 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

The Argentine was down 5-4 in the first set tie-breaker but rallied to clinch the all-important opener before dodging two break points in the second set on his way to victory.

Del Potro will meet Jarkko Nieminen in the quarters after the Finn recovered from a slump in the second set to win 6-3 5-7 6-3 against Germany's Matthias Bachinger.

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis knocked out fourth seed Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-4 and will face Grigor Dimitrov in the last-eight.

Slovakia's Martin Klizan will clash against France's fifth-seed Gilles Simon after defeating Dutch wildcard Igor Sijsling 6-2 6-4.