Djokovic through but Federer out in Montreal

Top seed Novak Djokovic surged into the quarter-finals of the ATP Montreal Masters on Thursday and was the last of the top players remaining after Roger Federer fell to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Djokovic, the newly-crowned world number one, claimed his 50th win of the season, beating Croat Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-2, as he closed in on his ninth title for 2011.

Federer lost to Tsonga for the second time this summer, going down 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-1.

“I really played good tonight,” Tsonga said.

“I was opportunistic. I didn’t miss any opportunities I had. I was able to break before he did and I’m very happy the way I won this match.

“I’m happy now to be in the quarter-finals. It was a tough draw to have Federer in the round of 16.”

The contest came just weeks after the burly Frenchman beat the Swiss master in the Wimbledon quarter-finals, when he staged an incredible comeback from two sets down.

Federer remained positive des-pite the loss.

“I played two matches, I feel good physically,” he said.

“New York is in one month – it’s far away. For the time being, the focus is here, not elsewhere. But if you want to talk about the US Open, I can tell you I feel good mentally and I’m playing well.”

Federer now travels to the Cincinnati Masters, his last event before the US Open, which begins on August 29.

The 30-year-old’s only title this season came in Doha in early January.

“He’s playing well. I thought if he was going to play well again, and me not at my best, he could do it again,” Federer said of Tsonga.

“It’s not like he’s beating me the first time. He played an excellent third set. The first two sets were tighter. I should maybe have won the first one, I really had some opportunities.

“In the second I was able to hold my serve. I might have won, but he was able to finish off the match very well.”

The win gives Tsonga a 3-4 head-to-head record against the 16-time grand slam champion.

Compatriot Gael Monfils, seeded fifth, joined him in the last eight, saving three match points in a 3-6, 7-6 (7/0), 7-6 (7/5) win over Serb Viktor Troicki.

But Spain’s Nicolas Almagro prevented a Gallic hat-trick as he recovered from 2-5 down in the opening set to overhaul 10th seed Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.

Djokovic’s only loss in 2011 came at the hands of Federer in the Roland Garros semi-finals.

The Serb advanced comfortably despite challenging conditions.

He admitted he was surprised by the second-round exits of both second seed Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

“It’s expected from them and from all of us top players to advance, you know, to the last stages of a tournament.

“But it happens.

“This is tennis. Both of their opponents have played great matches, and that’s it. You move on. You have to forget about what you’ve done, there is already next week another tournament.”