World number one Roger Federer eases into the semi-finals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament in Doha.

World number one Roger Federer crashed Spanish seventh seed Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-2 Thursday to ease into the semi-finals of the Qatar Open tennis tournament in Doha.

The Swiss, who dominated last season with three grand slam titles, broke Lopez in the fourth and sixth games to take the first set 6-1 and hit back a fierce assault in the second to outclass the Spaniard.

Federer will next face Russia's Nikolay Davydenko, who upset third seed Sebastien Grosjean of France 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a quarter-final clash.

"I think I played better than on Wednesday against (Greg) Rusedski," said Federer. "I was able to put pressure on him from the first serve and I am happy that I am playing so well."

In other quarters the day, sixth-seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic battled past teenage Spaniard Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, while former French Open champion Albert Costa came through against wily Frenchman Fabrice Santoro who retired trailing 2-6, 0-3 with a wrist injury.

Source: Xinhua