Basel, Switzerland (Sports Network) - Reigning three-time champion and hometown hero Roger Federer was an easy second-round winner Wednesday at the Swiss Indoors.
Federer brushed aside Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-3 in a mere 61 minutes at St. Jakobshalle.
The world No. 1 Federer, who once served as a ball boy in his native Basel, defeated his long-time rival David Nalbandian in last year's finale here.
The top-seeded all-time men's Grand Slam king Federer is playing his first tennis since losing to Argentine slugger Juan Martin del Potro in September's U.S. Open final.
Federer will meet the Jeremy Chardy-Evgeny Korolev winner in Friday's quarterfinals.
Joining Federer in the quarters was fifth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek, who was a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-1) victor against French lucky-loser Florent Serra.
In first-round action, John Isner outlasted third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-4. Gonzalez titled here in 2005.
Sixth-seeded Swiss crowd favorite Stanislas Wawrinka pleased the home faithful by dousing hot Croat Ivan Ljubicic 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round. The resurgent Ljubicic was fresh off his title in Lyon last week.
In some other opening-round action involving seeds on Day 3, No. 4 Croat Marin Cilic handled German Philipp Petzschner 6-4, 6-4 and the French Chardy upset No. 7 American James Blake 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (6-8), 6-4.
An additional first-round win came for Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who took care of last week's St. Petersburg runner-up Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.
The winner of this $2.59 million event will collect $430,000.