Federer eases past Albot into Swiss Indoors quarterfinals

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.

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 63, 6-4, and Tiafoe won 6-4, 6-2 against Dan Evans.

Earlier, sixth-seeded David Goffin won 6-4, 6-4 against unseeded Marin Cilic, the Basel champion in 2016 when Federer was injured.

Second-seeded Zverev loses to Fritz at Swiss Indoors

Second-seeded Alexander Zverev was eliminated in the first round of the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday, losing 7-6 (7), 6-4 to Taylor Fritz.

Zverev led 4-0 in the first-set tiebreaker and later held a set point before Fritz took his chance to clinch it with an ace.

The 31st-ranked American got the only service break of the match in the third game of the second set and converted his first match point with a two-handed backhand winner.

The loss rules out a possible final for Zverev against topseeded Roger Federer, who part owns the agency which manages the sixth-ranked German's career.

The defeat also harms Zverev's chances of defending his ATP Finals title next month. He is seventh in the season-long standings to advance to the eight-man event in London.

In Federer's half of the draw, third-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas and fifth-seeded Fabio Fognini both advanced Tuesday.

Tsitsipas beat Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 7-6 (6) and Fognini eased past qualifier Alexei Popyrin 6-2, 6-4.

Federer next plays Wednesday against Radu Albot, after the 49th-ranked Moldovan won 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 against Dusan Lajovic.

In a match of zero break point chances, 37th-ranked Reilly Opelka beat No. 38 Cristian Garrin 7-6 (5), 7-6 (10).

The 22-year-old American had 27 aces in his victory and dropped only one point when landing his first serve.