Roger Federer needed just 55 minutes to earn a spot in the quarter-finals of the Cincinnati Masters with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Kevin Anderson.

The early signs were worrying for Anderson, who won just four points in the opening four games as Federer stormed into a commanding lead over his South African opponent.

It was a typically dominant performance on serve, too, as Federer displayed his impressive form to the Ohio crowd to wrap up the first set in comfortable fashion.

Any hopes of a comeback from Anderson were slim after Federer's fine start to the contest, and the 15th seed was on the back foot once again when he lost his serve in the opening game of the second set.

Federer would lose just seven points on serve in the match, and Anderson was unable to delay the inevitable as the second seed secured his third break of the second set by converting match point at the fourth attempt to progress.