Federer, Nadal reach Montreal quarter-finals in style

MONTREAL - Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal resumed their dominance in tennis, with the top two seeds powering into the quarter-finals of the Montreal Masters.

Number one Federer defeated countryman and good friend Stan Wawrinka 6-3, 7-6(5), while Nadal, making a comeback from a knee injury, eased his mind with a second victory in 24 hours, defeating German Philipp Petzschner 6-3, 6-2 here Thursday.

Federer missed on four match points in the second-set tiebreaker, with Wawrinka ultimately getting a low volley at the net wrong to lose in just under two hours.

“It was a tense match, you can never tell until it’s over,” said Federer, who has won his last three tournaments. “Stan was serving really well. We played at a high level.”

“It was a very equal match,” said Federer, 42-6 on the season. “Stan had chances and played very well. But I served well when I needed to. I’m pleased to get through.”

Federer next plays France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a winner over Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-3.

It was all but effortless for Nadal, who last played May 31.

“I said before the tournament that my goal here is only try to improve every day,” said Nadal, the four-time French Open champion. “I think that’s what I’m doing. I’m very happy to be in the quarter-finals, it’s more than what I expected.”

Nadal will face off Friday for a semi-final place against Argentine Juan Del Potro after the sixth seed rallied past Romanian Victor Hanescu 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Number three Andy Murray continued to push towards replacing Nadal at second in the world as the Scot manhandled Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 6-3.

Murray completed a summer victory hat-trick 6-1, 6-3 over the 29-year-old after winning their June matches at Queen’s and Wimbledon.

Murray must reach the semifinals and hope for Nadal to lose in the quarterfinals to become the new number two.

The 2007 champion Novak Djokovic, the number four, beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-4.

Two-time Canadian champion Andy Roddick hung tough in a final-set tiebreaker to outlast Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5).

The American fifth seed has now played the quarters or better at his last five events dating to Queen’s club on grass in early June. Roddick was out-aced by Spain’s Verdasco 13 to 12 in a struggle lasting more than two and a half hours.

Montreal marks the first time the top eight players in the world have reached the quarter-finals of the same tournament.