Indian Wells, California - Roger Federer stretched his career domination of Fernando Gonzalez into a 12th victory from 13 meetings as he joined Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters on Wednesday.

Second seed Federer lost only his fifth set against Chile's big-hitting Gonzalez on the way to a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 victory in a sweltering day in the desert east of Los Angeles.

Murray, seeded fourth and chasing his third title of the season, had it easy in just 50 minutes as Spanish 15th seed Tommy Robredo retired to hand over a 6-2, 3-0 win to the Scot.

Spain's Australian Open semi-finalist and tenth seed Fernando Verdasco advanced into the last eight with a defeat of German Philip Kohlschreiber 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Federer's only loss to Gonzalez came in round-robin play at the Masters Cup in Shanghai two years ago. But the Swiss re-established superiority last year in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.

Federer needed one hour, 45 minutes to set up a match with Verdasco, the breakthrough player in Melbourne after losing a five-hour semi-final dueled with Rafael Nadal, who beat Federer for the Grand Slam title.

The Swiss took the first set against Gonzalez on a break and broke for a 2-1 lead in the second against the erratic South American, whose game relies on the health of his mighty forehand.

Gonzalez saved a match point before Federer closed out victory with a precise return into the corner. Federer won his 12th match of the season against two defeats and takes a 2-0 record - both on clay - over Verdasco into their match up.

Verdasco's win over Kolhschreiber overturned a 1-3 record against the German.

"He is a very dangerous player. He has good game and in other game he makes mistakes. You need to be ready for all these good games.

"It's all different mentality for me than some months ago," said the Spaniard. "I'm believing in myself much more against the top players than before.

"The Australian Open helped me so much when I won against Murray and (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga, and then also the match I did with Rafa. All that made me feel that I can play and I can beat these top players."

In women's play, fourth seed Vera Zvonareva reached her third semi-final of the season after Melbourne and a title in Pattaya City with a defeat of Dane Caroline Wozniacki
6-4, 6-2.

"It wasn't easy out there," said the Russian, 16-4 on the season. "She's young and talented, so I'm pretty happy the way I played.

"I had my ups and downs and I had to stay focused on what I had to do. But I'm pretty happy to be through this one." (dpa)