The completion of second round matches in Halle included a tough ride for top seed Roger Federer against unseeded Benoit Paire.
Paire began well, with a good percentage of first serves finding their mark. However at 3-4, the Frenchman committed successive errors and gave Federer the break.
The Swiss ace served out the set without trouble and led 6-3.
6 aces were handy for Roger.
Two break points created by Federer in the opening game of set two gave no indication of what was to come.
The Paire backhand was pivotal in making Federer uncomfortable in his movement around the court, and not only was Paire’s serve held, but he broke the top seed twice to lead 4-0.
It was close to being 5-0, but Federer managed to break the French serve with a backhand cross court winner and limit the damage to 1-4.
Paire, who in six previous meetings with Federer, had never won a set, held his next two service games, sealing the set 6-3 with an ace.
No breaks of serve in the deciding set, but Paire saved two match points at 5-5 15-40.
In the tie break, Federer initially led with a mini break 3-1. Paire then took the advantage with the next four points.
At 5-6, Federer saved a match point with a top spin forehand landing on the baseline, but he lost a point on serve to give a second match point to Paire, this time 7-6 and the 48th ranked player to serve.
A forcing backhand return produced an unforced forehand error from the French racquet and Federer won the remaining points to escape 6-3 3-6 7-6(7).
A quarter final awaits for the nine time winner of this tournament.
Federer will play Australian Matthew Ebden, who defeated Philipp Kohlschreiber (6) 4-6 6-1 6-2
Ebden has, with his performance here, moved up the rankings from 60 to a new career high at this point of 50. The worst he can finish after the tournament is 52.
Remaining Halle second round matches:
Andreas Seppi defeated wildcard Florian Mayer 6-2 6-4, disappointing German fans wanting their man to win
Seppi will play Borna Coric in the quarter finals
Borna Coric defeated lucky loser in qualifying Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4 6-2
London:
Remaining second round matches:
Nick Kyrgios defeated Kyle Edmund (7) 7-6(3) 6-7(5) 6-3, including 32 aces
He will play Feliciano López in the quarter finals
Feliciano López was given a walkover by Milos Raonic
Adrian Mannarino defeated qualifier Julien Benneteau 7-6(4) 6-3 in an all French clash.
He will play Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals
Wildcard Novak Djokovic defeated Grigor Dimitrov (2) 6-4 6-1 in just over an hour
Birmingham:
Remaining second round matches:
Barbora Strycova upset top seed Garbiñe Muguruza 6-2 6-4, the reigning Wimbledon champion losing the last four games of set two.
Strycova will play Lesia Tsurenko in the quarter finals
Lesia Tsurenko defeated Daria Kasatkina (6) 1-6 6-3 6-3
Julia Goerges (5) defeated Ash Barty 7-6(6) 6-3 - Barty wasted chances in set one, having had set points with Goerges serving at 5-6, then leading 6-3 in the tie break. Goerges won the final four points in the tie break and controlled the rest of the match.
The German will play defending champion Petra Kvitova in the quarter finals
Petra Kvitová (4) defeated the other remaining Aussie Dasha Gavrilova 6-2 6-2
Mallorca:
Remaining second round matches:
Lucie Safarova (7) defeated Vika Azarenka 6-3 6-4
She will play Tatjana Maria in the quarter finals
Qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic defeated fellow qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-3 6-3
She will play Anastasija Sevastova in the quarter finals
Anastasija Sevastova (3) defeated qualifier Antonia Lottner 1-6 6-3 6-1
Qualifier Alison Riske defeated Polona Hercog 3-6 7-5 3-6
She will play Samantha Stosur in the quarter finals
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