Defending champion Roger Federer has reached the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships thanks to a straight-sets triumph over Fernando Verdasco.

Verdasco raced into a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but Federer then reeled off the next 20 points in a row to take it 6-4.

Both players exchanged service breaks at the start of the second before the Swiss powered through to win 6-4 6-3.

Federer, who is seeded second, will now face Richard Gasquet for a berth in the last four of the tournament.