Three-time defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals by beating Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-3 6-3 on Wednesday.

Federer served solidly to make it six matches against the 51st-ranked Seppi without dropping a set.

"It was a bit tougher (than the first round), but I was able to raise my game at a few crucial moments and that was the difference," said Federer, who rested through October.

"I recuperated and worked a bit to get in shape and can play maybe this (late in the) season in good health, which last year wasn't the case."

Fifth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic missed all 16 break points but still beat lucky loser Florent Serra of France 3-6 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (7-1) to advance.

In the first round, fourth-seeded Marin Cilic beat Philipp Petzschner of Germany 6-4 6-4 to keep alive his chances of qualifying for the ATP Tour finals in London.

The Croat, a wildcard entry, likely needs to win the Swiss Indoors and do well at the Paris Masters next week to make the eight-player lineup at London. He is currently 12th.

Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez began play 10th on the list, but the Chilean lost 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 to John Isner of the United States in the late match.

Isner's victory against the 2005 Basel champion ended a run of three straight first-round exits in the past month.

Another rival for a London place, No.11 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, has an injured left wrist and retired from his match on Wednesday at the tournament in Valencia, Spain.

In other first-round action, Stanislas Wawrinka rallied to beat Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, last week's winner in Lyon, 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4.

The sixth-seeded Swiss was treated for a shoulder injury after the first set. Ljubicic was the last man to beat Federer at his home event, in 2003.