Federer completes top eight party at Montreal

Roger Federer beat Olympic doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3 7-6 at the Montreal Masters on Thursday, ensuring the world's top eight players will compete in the quarter-finals of an ATP event for the first time.

Of all the tournaments staged since ATP rankings began in 1973, Montreal marks the first that the world's top eight have fought their way to the quarter-finals of the same event.

The high quality line-up includes players from eight different countries, four past champions and four grand slam winners. Among them, only Andy Roddick has not claimed multiple titles this season.

"It's actually a little bit easier here because the top eight had a bye, but at the same time it's not just the top eight seeds it's the top eight ranked players in the world," Federer told reporters.

"It's definitely a special occasion."

Joining Federer and Roddick (5) were Rafael Nadal (2), Andy Murray (3), Novak Djokovic (4), Juan Martin Del Potro (6), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (7) and Nikolai Davydenko (8).

Federer, playing in his first event since clinching a record 15th grand slam title at Wimbledon last month, was last to join the party, but his attendance was never seriously threatened by Wawrinka, his partner for doubles gold at the 2008 Beijing Games.

After surrendering the first set, the Swiss number two fluffed a chance to break Federer in the second, and betrayed his frustration by blasting a ball out of the stadium.

Big-hitting Tsonga stands in the way of a semi-final berth for Federer, the Frenchman advancing with a 6-3 6-3 win over compatriot Giles Simon.

Defending champion Nadal gave his knees a proper work-out in an energetic 6-3 6-2 win over Germany's Philipp Petzschner, and showed his delight with a buoyant post-game dance around centre court amid wild applause from fans.

"A little better, the movement was a little better," said Nadal, who had been sidelined for two months with tendonitis in both knees prior to Montreal.

"I am happy because I am in the quarter-finals and it is more than I expected when I came here."

Quarter-final: Murray beat Davydenko 6-2 6-4