MANILA, Philippines – Roger Federer battled to overcome Radek Stepnaek to remain on course to meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the Dubai Championship. The Swiss sealed the first set in 33 minutes, but his Czech opponent recovered to take the second set in the tiebreak. Federer, a five-time former Dubai champion, came back from an 0-2 deficit in the deciding set to beat Stepanek in two hours and nine minutes. Meantime, top-seeded Djokovic had no trouble dispatching world No. 51 Roberto Bautista of Spain. -- Mornings @ ANC, February 27, 2014.