Indian Wellls PHOTOS: Federer fends off Chardy; Halep in semis

IMAGES from the matches played at the PNB Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden at Indian Wells on Wednesday

Switzerland's Roger Federer plays a return during his fourth round match against France's Jeremy Chardy

IMAGE: Switzerland's Roger Federer plays a return during his fourth round match against France's Jeremy Chardy. Photograph: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

World No 1 Roger Federer advanced to the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Open with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Jeremy Chardy on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old surrendered just three points on serve in the opening set and took control of the second with a crosscourt backhand winner that broke Chardy when tied at 4-4.

“I like his play. He hits it big, has a big serve, big forehand,” said Federer, a five-time champion at Indian Wells.

“The wind picked up, so you never know what’s going to happen. But I think we played really good tennis for most of the match.”

Federer needed just one hour and 22 minutes to move to 15-0 for the year. The last time he began a season 15-0 was 2006 when he would finish the year with 12 titles and three grand slams.

Federer will next face South Korea's Chung Hyeon, who defeated Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 6-1, 6-3. It will be a rematch of their Australian Open semi-final in January when Chung had to retire due to blistered feet.

South Korea's Hyeon Chung plays volleys in his match against Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas

IMAGE: South Korea's Hyeon Chung plays volleys in his match against Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images

Juan Martin del Potro, a runner-up in Indian Wells in 2013, battled a bad back to outlast Leonardo Mayer 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.

“I was surprised by Mayer’s level today,” del Potro said.

“I think I was very smart during the tiebreak. After that I turned the match around and took control of the points.”

Next up for the Argentine is Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber, who advanced with a 6-4, 7-6(1), win over France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Kevin Anderson beat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(6), the South African recording 16 aces in a victory that took him to a last eight tie against Croatian Borna Coric, who defeated American Taylor Fritz 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-4.

Sam Querrey, the lone American remaining in the men’s draw, reached the quarters with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez of Spain.

Romania's Simona Halep celebrates her win against Croatia's Petra Martic

IMAGE: Romania's Simona Halep celebrates her win against Croatia's Petra Martic. Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Romanian world number one Simona Halep overcame strong winds and a determined Petra Martic of Croatia to advance to the BNP Paribas Open semi-finals with a three-set victory on Wednesday.

Halep's 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 triumph ensured she advanced to the semi-finals at Indian Wells for the third time.

The top seed closed out the match with the quick efficiency of three winners after a series of long games that had swung back and forth on the breezy afternoon.

The wind had affected play almost from the beginning with Halep claiming the first set after Martic had pulled within 5-4.

Martic built a 5-2 lead in the second set before Halep fought back to level at 5-5.

But Martic took the final two points to level the match, capturing her first set from a top three player in her seventh attempt.

Halep, however, managed to race away with the match after the third set had been locked at 3-3.