Federer breezes into quarters, Halep reaches semis at Indian Wells

World No. 1 Roger Federer's remarkable run continued as he booked his quarter-final berth in the ATP Indian Wells Masters with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday. The 36-year-old Federer, who won his 20th Grand Slam when he captured the Australian Open in January, is off to one of his strongest career starts and is now 15-0 in 2018. It is his best beginning to the season since 2006 when he started 16-0 and won 33 of his first 34 matches. "It has been great. But it is a totally different year, and so many years after," he said. "For so many years I have felt good actually in Australia. "I don't know if it's Australia per se or, taking the benefits from the hard work I put into the new season."

Point of the day! Thanks for the entertainment @rogerfederer & @jimchardy.#BNPPO18 pic.twitter.com/pYF1SI1SL8

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 15, 2018

Federer, who also won at Rotterdam in February, is gunning for a record sixth Indian Wells title. "Yeah, and then also Rotterdam was great. I was very happy that I was able to win the tournament there, not just get to the semis and get world No. 1. "And here now I'm relieved that I was able to win three matches already. Because in a big, tough draw like here at Indian Wells, you're never quite sure what to expect. "So I'm just happy I'm on a good run."

First Masters QF! @BNPPARIBASOPEN ????????????????❤ pic.twitter.com/PEKCe0n2hU

— Hyeon Chung (@HyeonChung) March 14, 2018

Federer will face the 21-year-old Chung for the second time this year. Chung made a Grand Slam breakthrough when he reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January but had to retire in his match with Federer because of a foot blister. "It is highly explosive, it's highly impressive what he does and I think he is going to be a great player," Federer said. "How good will still remain to be seen. I have a lot of respect for him." Elsewhere, Croatia's Borna Coric blasted nine aces as he outlasted American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4. Unseeded Coric moves to the quarter-finals, where he will play red-hot South African Kevin Anderson who defeated Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6).

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Kevin Anderson beats Carreno Busta for the fourth straight time to book his place in the BNP Paribas Open QF.

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— ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) March 15, 2018

In other fourth round matches, American Sam Querrey beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-3, 6-4 and sixth seeded Juan Martin Del Potro rallied to beat fellow Argentinian Leonardo Mayer 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3. Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) and Canada's Milos Raonic won in a walkover when Marcos Baghdatis withdrew from their night match with an illness. Meanwhile World No. 1 Simona Halep punched her ticket to the Indian Wells semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Croatia's Petra Martic on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Halep improved to 18-1 on the season and is looking to win her second WTA Tour title of 2018. Halep, of Romania, needed two hours and 23 minutes to put Martic away under taxing conditions as strong winds swirled around the main stadium court. "It was difficult conditions to play in today because of the wind," she said. "It was tough to play, because the ball was really moving.

Can you say #SemiSimona?@Simona_Halep recaps her hard-fought @BNPPARIBASOPEN quarterfinal victory! pic.twitter.com/vjsfbMHSOz

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2018

"But I just tried everything. I tried also to push a little bit the ball and then to hit it. I tried mix it up. Was not easy at all. For both of us it was difficult." Halep is guaranteed to hold onto her No. 1 ranking at the end of this event after world number two Caroline Wozniacki was eliminated on Tuesday. Halep moves on to the semi-finals where she will face Japan's Naomi Osaka.

.@Naomi_Osaka_ shines in upset over Pliskova! Sets up @BNPPARIBASOPEN semifinal vs. Halep--> https://t.co/qrUsfOULvD pic.twitter.com/QhSElbFGfx

— WTA (@WTA) March 15, 2018

"I just fought and that's maybe why I won because I refuse to lose." that's why I could win." Halep is seeking her second Indian Wells title after beating Jelena Jankovic in 2015.