Basel, Switzerland (SportsNetwork.com) - Five-time champion and Basel native Roger Federer notched an opening-round victory, while French Open king Rafael Nadal was an easy second-round winner Wednesday at the $1.87 Swiss Indoors Basel tennis tournament.
The top-seeded former world No. 1 Federer leveled left-hander Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-2, 6-1 in a mere 47 minutes, while the second-seeded former top- ranked superstar Nadal blew away helpless French qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-1, 6-1 in 56 minutes to reach the quarterfinals on the hardcourts at St. Jakobshalle.
The amazing Federer, now 52-9 lifetime here, has appeared in the last eight finals in his hometown, and in addition to his five tiles, he's also a five- time runner-up in Basel. He lost to Argentine star Juan Martin del Potro in the last two title tilts.
The 33-year-old Federer will face Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in the round of 16 on Thursday.
Fifth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov, a finalist in Stockholm last week, snuck into the second round by outlasting wild card and rising 6-foot-6 German Alexander Zverev 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Up next for Dimitrov will be Canadian Vasek Pospisil.
Another second-round result saw rising seventh-seeded Belgian David Goffin best capable Croat Ivan Dodig 7-6 (7-0), 6-4.
In some other first-round action on Day 3, promising 17-year-old Croatian wild card Borna Coric saw off sixth-seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev erased Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-3, and Istomin drilled 6-foot-8 Pole Jerzy Janowicz 6-1, 6-1.
The 2014 Basel champ will claim $450,000.
