Roger Federer of Switzerland cheers after winning the quarter-final match against Gilles Simon of France at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
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.
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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Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball to Gilles Simon of France during their quarter-final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
Gilles Simon of France returns a ball to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their quarter-final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts during the quarter-final match against Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball to Gilles Simon of France during their quarter-final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
Roger Federer of Switzerland returns a ball to Gilles Simon of France during their quarter-final match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press
Roger Federer of Switzerland reacts during the quarter-final match against Gilles Simon of France at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (Alexandra Wey/Keystone via AP)
The Associated Press