World No 1 Roger Federer advanced to the quarter-finals at Indian Wells with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old Swiss surrendered just three points on serve in the opening set and took control of the second with a crosscourt backhand winner that broke Chardy when tied at 4-4.
“I like his play. He hits it big, has a big serve, big forehand,” said Federer, a five-time champion at Indian Wells.
“The wind picked up, so you never know what’s going to happen. But I think we played really good tennis for most of the match.”
Federer needed just one hour and 22 minutes to move to 15-0 for the year. The last time he began a season 15-0 was 2006 when he would finish the year with 12 titles and three grand slams.
Federer will next face South Korea's Chung Hyeon, who defeated Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 6-1, 6-3. It will be a rematch of their Australian Open semi-final in January when Chung had to retire due to blistered feet.
Juan Martin del Potro, a runner-up in Indian Wells in 2013, battled a bad back to outlast Leonardo Mayer 3-6, 7-6, 6-3.
“I was surprised by Mayer’s level today,” Del Potro said. “I think I was very smart during the tiebreak. After that I turned the match around and took control of the points.”
Next up for the Argentine is Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-6, win over France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
Kevin Anderson beat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, the South African recording 16 aces in a victory that took him to a last eight tie against Croatian Borna Coric, who defeated American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-7, 6-4.
Sam Querrey, the lone American remaining in the men’s draw, reached the quarters with a 6-3 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez of Spain.
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