World No. 1 Roger Federer kept his quest for a 10th Halle grasscourt title alive by saving two match points to defeat France's Benoit Paire 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) and make the quarter-finals yesterday.

Federer will face Australia's world No. 60 Matthew Ebden, who defeated Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, for a place in the semi-finals. Federer's preparations in the build-up to the defence of his Wimbledon title had been running smoothly, with a title last week in Stuttgart and a solid opening Halle win for the top seed.