Federer downs Ferrer to reach ATP semis

Switzerland's Roger Federer returns to
Spain's David Ferrer

AFP - Roger Federer clinched a place in the semi-finals of the ATP Tour Finals on Thursday as the defending champion ground out a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over Spain's David Ferrer at London's O2 Arena.

Federer required a straight sets win over the fourth seed to seal his spot in the last four with one Group B match to spare and he reached that goal despite a scrappy performance that included 39 unforced errors.

While Federer was some way from his best, the world number two displayed his priceless knack of elevating his game on the big points as the 31-year-old extended his winning run at the Tour Finals to 12 matches.

As well as securing his semi-final berth, Federer also achieved a notable personal landmark by recording his 70th match win of the year -- the first time he has done that since he was at the very peak of his form in 2006.

It was a familiar story for Ferrer, who has now lost all 14 of his meetings with Federer, and the Spaniard will need a victory over Janko Tipsarevic in his final match on Saturday to have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.