Federer digs deep to beat Mannarino and reach semis

Mannarino took the first set and, although Federer cruised through the second, the Frenchman made him work hard again in the third before the Swiss completed the win.

Federer’s semi-final opponent on Saturday will be Belgian third seed David Goffin who beat American Jack Sock 7-6(6) 6-3 in the last of the night’s quarter-finals.

World number four Marin Cilic had an even harder time than Federer, needing two tiebreaks to beat 100th-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 7-6(3) 5-7 7-6(4) in just over three hours.

The Croat now faces Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, a late contender to snatch one of the last two places at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, who beat Roberto Bautista 6-2 2-6 6-4.