World Number 3 and 2011 Paris Bercy champion Roger Federer cruised past Fabio Fognini 6-4 6-3 after 1 hour and 13 minutes to score his 45th match win of the season in the third round of the Paris Rolex Masters at the Accorhotel Arena in Paris Bercy.
Federer played his opening match after receiving a walkover following Milos Raonic’s withdrawal.
Federer saved four of the five break points he faced and converted four of his six chances to reach the quarter final in Paris Bercy for the eighth time. He dropped 16 points in nine service games, won 46% of his return points and hit 21 winners to 21 unforced errors. Fognini made 14 winners to 25 unforced errors including six double faults.
Federer converted his second break point chance in the third game to take a 2-1 lead, when he forced an error from Fognini. Federer went up a double break in the fifth game to build up a 4-1 lead, when Fognini netted a an easy forehand.
Fognini hit a backhand down the line winner to pull one break back in the sixth game for 2-4. The Italian player brought up two more break points in the 10th game, when Federer was serving for the set. The Swiss legend saved them to force the game to deuce and wrapped up the first set with a service winner after 41 minutes.
In the second set Federer was solid on his serve and broke serve in the fifth and sealed the win with his second break of serve, when Fognini made a double fault to improve his record to 4-0 over Fognini in their head-to-head matches. He won all the 10 set they played.
Federer will take on either Kei Nishikori or Kevin Anderson in Friday’s quarter finals.
“I think both of us were far from our best, but fought with what we had and at the end I think I served a bit better in the important moments than Fabio did. Off the baseline it was baseline. He takes the ball early and can really redirect really well. I am very happy because it means I am moving on in the tournament”,said Federer in the post match interview.
