Halle: Federer sees off Zverev threat

Last time they met in Halle, Roger Federer pasted Mischa Zverev, administering the German a double-bagel.

This time around, the scoreline was a more respectable one for Zverev – yet the result was the same.

Federer’s 7-6(4) 6-4 win over the serve-and-volleying Zverev send the Swiss top seed into the quarterfinals where he will face another German, Florian Mayer.

The defending champion advanced to the quarters with a 6-7(6) 6-4 6-3 win over Lucas Pouille, who triumphed last week in Stuttgart.

“It was totally different (to our match here four years ago). He started serving great, which put me under pressure as I wasn’t getting many looks,” Federer told atpworldtour.com.

“It was important to stay calm after missing chances to win the (first) set at 5-4. And it’s important to win ‘breakers. They are the sets you need to win to win tournaments. It felt like a close ‘breaker that could have gone either way.

“After I got that in the bag I was really able to start to relax and really play and feel the way I want to feel out there. That’s the first time I’ve felt like that since Miami, so that’s a good sign looking ahead.

“I played my best match today and that will give me some confidence for tomorrow (against Mayer). I think he’s most dangerous on the grass. He’s a tough customer, plus he’s the defending champion.

“He hasn’t had the best season so far, so there is a lot riding on the match for him as well as for me because we both want to go deep into this tournament.”

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Also advancing on Thursday in Halle was Karen Khachanov – who got past an ailing Kei Nishikori – and Andrey Rublev.

In a battle between Russians at opposite ends of the age spectrum, Rublev, a wildcard, got the better of Mikhail Youzhny, a qualifier, in three sets.