BASEL: Roger Federer shrugged off dropping the first set against journeyman Denis Istomin before hitting back to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the Swiss Indoors quarter-finals here on Thursday.

It was the top seed and five-time champion’s 53rd career win at his hometown event, the place where he got his start in the sport as a ballboy two decades ago.

He now stands at a perfect 6-0 over world number 55 Istomin, who gave Federer plenty of trouble during their one-hour, 48-minute meeting.

Federer’s win kept up the pressure on Novak Djokovic as the Swiss takes aim at a possible return to the year-end world number one ranking currently held by the Serb.

Federer, who won his first-round match in 45 minutes, lost the opening set on a break as Istomin landed a return at his feet for a crucial 4-2 lead.

The second set momentum finally turned for Federer, who fired three love games and lost just two points on serve as he levelled with a forehand winner to the corner on set point.

In the third, the Swiss was frustrated by stubborn Istomin defence, with Federer missing on four break points in the opening game before finally breaking for 2-1 on the eighth break point of the set, a passing winner.

Federer completed his comeback with a sixth ace on match point to advance into a quarter-final against either fifth seed Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Canadian Vasek Pospisil, a 2013 semi-finalist, 6-2, 6-2.

Canadian fourth seed Milos Raonic continued his winning tournament debut with 22 aces as he overcame American Donald Young 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-2) in nearly two and a half hours.

MURRAY, FERRER INTO QUARTERS

VALENCIA: Andy Murray inched closer to sealing his place at the World Tour Finals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Fabio Fognini to reach the Valencia Open quarter-finals here on Thursday.

The Scot has won 15 of his last 17 matches to put himself on course for a seventh consecutive appearance at the season-ending event which features the world’s top eight players.

However, top seed David Ferrer also remained in contention as he swept aside compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-2 to reach the last eight.

Murray had looked far from convincing on serve in disposing of Jurgen Melzer on Wednesday, but didn’t even face a break point as he set up a last-eight clash with South Africa’s Kevin Anderson.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2014