World number one Roger Federer again needed just over an hour to see off his opponent in straight sets at the Halle ATP tournament on Thursday as he reached the quarterfinals with ease.

Having won Wednesday's first-round match against Germany's Michael Berrer in just 61 minutes, the Swiss master needed only eight minutes more to seal a 7-5, 6-3 win to ease past qualifier Jan Vacek from the Czech Republic.

Federer lost Sunday's Roland Garros final to clay-court king Rafael Nadal and traditionally plays at Halle to help him prepare for Wimbledon as he bids to win his sixth consecutive title in south-west London later this month.

But the 26-year-old admitted he had not had things his own way against Vacek despite the quick game. "This match was difficult, like I expected," he said. "I could not really play my normal game which was annoying.

"He always kept me on the backfoot and and though I served well, I gave him too many free points in the first set."

And although Thursday's win was his 56th consecutive win on grass, Federer says he is taking nothing for granted on his favourite surface.

"It is a good feeling and it gives me a lot of confidence," he said. "I do have this record in mind, but I learned not to underestimate anybody anymore. I made that mistake here in the 2000 quarterfinal against Michael Chang.

"I thought I had him, but ended up losing 5-7, 2-6."

Federer revealed he has lost weight recently. "After my injury I put on a little, so I decided to do something about that.

"Right now I do so much sports again so I lost some pounds — I am in good shape and feel fine, however I am 88kgs not 80 like it says in the media guide."

And after watching his countrymen suffer Euro 2008 heart-break after losing 2-1 to an injury time goal against Turkey on Wednesday night, Federer said he was very disappointed.

"This is terrible — it is very disappointing and it hurts," he said having flown to Halle from his home in Zurich.

"We did not deserve that — to lose so late in the game. But I think we will continue to be good hosts and maybe we will surprise a few people in our last game against Portugal."

In the last eight on Friday, Federer will play fifth-seed and last year's finalist Marcos Baghdatis after he beat Frenchman Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 6-3 late on Thursday afternoon.

And the 2006 Australian Open finalist is relishing his first meeting with Federer on grass.

"Roger is five-times Wimbledon Champion, so all I can do is serve better, try to play my game, come forward to the net more often and give it my best," said the 22-year-old Cypriot.

There are three Germans in Friday's last eight with number one Philipp Kohlschreiber playing Sweden's Robin Soderling, Nicolas Keifer facing France's Michael Llodra and Andreas Beck up against James Blake of the United States.

AFP