Defending Shanghai Masters champion Roger Federer avoided a third-round upset against Roberto Bautista Agut as he came through in three sets to clinch a quarter-final meeting with Kei Nishikori.
The Swiss, whose ranking as number two in the world is under threat this week, was broken three times in the second set to force a decider but eventually prevailed 6-3 2-6 6-4.
Bautista Agut had never even taken a set off Federer in their previous seven meetings but forced a decider only to be crucially broken at 4-4, and the Swiss served out to love to clinch the win.
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Federer will now meet Nishikori, who he has not lost to since 2014, for the first time since the 2017 Australian Open.
Not quite# peRFect, but good enough. @rogerfederer's quest to defend his #RolexSHMasters title forges ahead with a hard-fought 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win over @BautistaAgut . Gets No. 8 @keinishikori in tomorrow's quarterfinal! pic.twitter.com/2Cc6JV5YTt
— RolexShMasters (@SH_RolexMasters) October 11, 2018
There were signs this was not going to be a straightforward evening for Federer early in the first set when Bautista Agut had a break point in the Swiss' second service game.
He could not capitalise, though, and Federer soon gained a 3-1 lead en route to taking the opener.
Federer won an 11-minute game at the start of the second set to break Bautista Agut again before the Spaniard instantly roared back and reeled off four games in a row.
Bautista Agut then forced a decider by breaking Federer for a third time, successfully winning a challenge to bring up set point, which he took when his opponent netted a backhand.
The third set remained on serve until, at 4-4, Federer claimed his first break since the start of the second set, and he capitalised to secure another hard-fought win having also beaten Daniil Medvedev in three sets on Wednesday.
"It was a very tough match, I thought it was a really high level," Federer said afterwards.
"They're tough conditions – the ball stays super low, it's fast, it's cooler.
"If you want to make the winner you have to take a lot of risks, it seems like. If you find a great groove, it's hard to go through the opponent."