ATP Basel, Switzerland

Federer flies past Albot and into quarterfinals on home turf

Roger Federer posted a straight-set victory against Radu Albot on Wednesday to enter the Basel quarterfinals.

Published October 23, 2019

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Roger Federer eased to a 6-0, 6-3 win over 49th-ranked Radu Albot in the second round of the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday.

The top-seeded Federer had to save two break points in the first set on his way to sweeping the first eight games of the match.

Seeking a 10th title at his hometown event, Federer has spent less than two hours combined on court for his two match wins so far this week.

Swiss Roger Federer returns a ball to German Peter Gojowczyk during the 1,500th match of his career at the opening day of the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament on October 21, 2019 in Basel. - Roger Federer check off another landmark on October 21, 2019 when he starts his bid for a 10th Basel title by playing the 1,500th match of his career. (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) — © AFP via Getty Images

Getty Images

In Friday's quarterfinals, Federer will play fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka or Francis Tiafoe of the United States, who both had straight-set wins Wednesday.

Wawrinka beat Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 6-4, and Tiafoe won 6-4, 6-2 against Dan Evans.

In a first-round match, sixth-seeded David Goffin won 6-4, 6-4 against unseeded Marin Cilic, the Basel champion in 2016 when Federer was injured. Goffin is currently 10th in the points race to qualify for the eight-man ATP Finals in London next month.

Wildcard entry Alex de Minaur advanced to the quarterfinals by beating 31st-ranked American Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-3. The 28th-ranked Australian next plays Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, ensuring at least one unseeded player will be in the semifinals.

More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports