Roger Federer all set to conquer 100th title at Dubai Championships

Tennis ace Roger Federer returns to Fernando Verdasco during the ATP Dubai Duty Free tennis championship in the Gulf yesterday. Pics/AFP

Roger Federer carved out his seventh straight win over Fernando Verdasco yesterday to reach the Dubai Championships quarter-finals 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to stay on course for a 100th career title.

Fucsovics is up next
The 20-time Grand Slam winner, who now has 50 wins in Dubai, will face Hungary's Marton Fucsovics for a place in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Japan's top seed Kei Nishikori was bundled out in the second round of the Dubai Championships yesterday, losing 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 to unfancied Hubert Hurkacz.

Fernando Verdasco reacts during his match against Roger Federer

Nishikori falters
The Polish No. 1 ranked 77th in the world handed the favourite his exit papers as Nishikori played the gulf event for the first time. He came to the emirate with an early season title from Brisbane, where he claimed his first trophy since 2016. Hurkacz moved into his first ATP quarter-final after scoring his first career victory over a Top 10 opponent, needing just over two hours completing the upset.

The outsider caught Nishikori with a late break in the opening set but the favourite looked like making up ground in the second when he moved from 4-0, 5-2 up. But Nishikori failed on four occasions to serve it out. Hurkacz finished the job as he claimed the final set to advance, winning with six breaks of serve from seven chances.

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