By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, April 29, 2015

 

Roger Federer hit nine aces and did not face a break point advancing to the Istanbul quarterfinals with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Jarkko Nieminen.

Photo credit: TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Open

They share a friendship that dates back to their junior days, but every time Roger Federer and Jarkko Nieminen get together on the court, Federer always has the last word.

The top-seeded Swiss hit nine aces and did not face a break point dismissing Nieminen, 6-2, 7-5, to roll into the Istanbul Open quarterfinals.

More: Federer Ready for Launch in Istanbul

Federer won 29 of 31 points played on his first serve and broke serve three times in a clean one-hour victory. He raised his career record to 15-0 against the 71st-ranked Finn.

Federer faces Daniel Gimeno-Traver for a semifinal spot in the first meeting between the pair. The 62nd-ranked Spaniard swept sixth-seeded Mikhail Kukushkin, 6-3, 6-3, in 70 minutes.

No. 4 seed Santiago Giraldo outlasted wild card Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Giraldo will play Diego Schwartzman in the quarterfinals with the winner taking on either Federer or Gimeno-Traver in the semifinals. The eighth-seeded Schwartzman overwhelmed Jurgen Melzer, 6-0, 6-2, in 52 minutes