Rafael Nadal continued his triumphant return from injury with a straight-sets triumph over defending champion Roger Federer in the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters.

Nadal broke Federer three times in the second set en route to a 6-4 6-2 victory over the 17-time grand slam champion, who has yet to win a title in 2013.

The Spaniard, who returned from a seven-month injury absence in February, next plays sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych, a 6-4 6-4 winner over South African Kevin Anderson.

"It feels great," the 27-year-old Czech said. "It's the first Masters of the year, it's very important for me for the confidence."

Anderson, who had surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow in January, was the only unseeded player to reach the quarter-finals, with seven of the top eight making it through.

Berdych broke the big-serving Anderson in the final game of each set to secure the victory in 90 minutes, making it to the final four in the California desert for the first time.