Federer battles, Murray rolls into quarter-finals

1ST LEAD: Federer battles, Murray rolls into quarter-finalsIndian Wells, California  - Roger Federer on Wednesday stretched his career domination of Fernando Gonzalez to a 12th victory from 13 meetings as he joined Andy Murray in the quarter- finals of the Indian Wells Masters.

Second seed Federer lost only his fifth career set against Chile's big-hitting Gonzalez on the way to a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory on a sweltering day in the desert east of Los Angeles.

"I enjoy playing Fernando because it's so tactical," said the 13- time Grand Slam winner. "But at the same time it's so brutal, so aggressive. You think you have a slight chance to win the point, and then you realize, no, there's actually none. It's pretty interesting with him.

"At 30-love up, he doesn't care if it's a forehand or backhand coming his way, he's just going to rip it anyway. We've played on many occasions, so we know each other's games very well. I think that's always fun to play somebody like that."

Murray, seeded fourth and chasing his third title of the season, had it easy in just 50 minutes as Spanish 15th seed Tommy Robredo retired due to a wrist injury to hand over a 6-2, 3-0 win to the Scot.

"Mentally, a wrist problem can be tough," Murray said.

"I've been through it. It's not so much hitting the ball that's worrying. It's just the pain that's there and feeling like, you know, something might happen."

Spain's Australian Open semi-finalist and 10th seed Fernando Verdasco advanced into the last eight with a defeat of German Philip Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Federer's only loss to Gonzalez came in round-robin play at the Masters Cup two years ago in Shanghai. But the Swiss re-established superiority last year in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Federer needed one hour, 45 minutes to set up a match with Verdasco, the breakthrough player in Melbourne, after losing a five- hour semi-final duel with Rafael Nadal, who beat Federer for the Grand Slam title.

Gonzalez saved a match point before Federer closed out victory with a precise return into the corner. Federer won his 12th match of the season against two defeats and takes a 2-0 record - both on clay - over Verdasco into their match up.

Verdasco's win over Kolhschreiber overturned a 1-3 record against the German.

"The Australian Open helped me so much when I won against Murray and (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga, and then also the match I did with Rafa. All that made me feel that I can play and I can beat these top players," said Verdasco.

In women's play, fourth seed Vera Zvonareva reached her third semi-final of the season after Melbourne and a title in Pattaya City, Thailand, with a defeat of Dane Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-2. (dpa)

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