Federer battles into semis

Roger Federer kept his bid for a first Grand Slam title of the year alive with a straight-sets quarter-final victory over qualifier Gilles Muller at the US Open on Thursday.

Federer was solid if unspectacular in the face of some powerful hitting from the unfancied Luxemburger to close out the match 7-6 (7/5) 6-4 7-6 (7/5).