INDIAN WELLS, California: Roger Federer was more than a match for the firepower of Ivo Karlovic on Monday, beating the towering Croatian in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells hardcourt tennis tournament.

The Swiss world No 2, seeded second in the first ATP Masters series of 2009 behind world No 1 Rafael Nadal, needed only 70 minutes to notch a 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory - his seventh over Karlovic in eight career meetings.

The Swiss, who calls Karlovic's first serve "untouchable," was nonetheless able to withstand 13 aces by the Croatian, breaking him in the seventh game of the second set to avoid another tiebreaker while never facing a break point himself.