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Federer beats Simon in 3 tough sets in Swiss Indoors QFs
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Federer beats Simon in 3 tough sets in Swiss Indoors QFs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:16 p.m. ET

BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Roger Federer was pushed hard to beat Gilles Simon 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-4 in the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals on Friday.

Top-seeded Federer clinched after more than 2-1/2 hours on court, breaking Simon's serve when the 32nd-ranked Frenchman sent a backhand long from the baseline.

Federer puffed out his cheeks in a gesture of relief when taking the applause from his hometown crowd in Basel, where he seeks a ninth career title.

In the first set won by Federer, Simon failed to hold serve at 5-3 up and held a set-point chance before the tiebreaker.

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Federer broke early in the deciding set, then lost his serve to love in the seventh game before forcing the key service break.

Federer improved to 7-2 in his career against Simon, though both losses came 10 years ago in their first two meetings on tour. The veteran players now have a combined age of 70.

Federer's opponent in Saturday's semifinals is seventh-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who beat fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The 20th-ranked Russian now is 3-0 this season against the 16th-ranked Tsitsipas.

Earlier Friday, second-seeded Alexander Zverev won 7-5, 6-3 against Roberto Bautista Agut, the eighth-seeded Spaniard.

Zverev faces 93rd-ranked Marius Copil in the semifinals. The Romanian qualifier, who eliminated former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic in the second round, has still to drop a set after beating American wild card Taylor Fritz 7-6 (6), 7-5.

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