Basel, Switzerland (SportsNetwork.com) - Reigning champion Juan Martin del Potro was a straight-set quarterfinal winner Friday at the $1.955 million Swiss Indoors Basel.
The top-seeded Argentine slugger handled oft-injured Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 6-4 at St. Jakobshalle.
Del Potro, who upset Swiss hero Roger Federer in last year's Basel finale, is seeking a trip into a third final in three events, having recently titled in Tokyo and finished as a runner-up at the Shanghai Masters.
His semifinal opponent on Saturday will be another Frenchman, Edouard Roger- Vasselin, who outlasted German Daniel Brands 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 on Day 5.
Another quarterfinal result saw rising Canadian Vasek Pospisil get past Croat Ivan Dodig 7-6 (13-11), 6-4.
The 2013 Basel titlist will earn $475,000.
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