Rafael Nadal in action against Juan Carlos Ferrero at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco on Thursday. (Reuters)

Monte Carlo: World No. 1 Roger Federer got back into his old routine with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of France’s Gael Monfils to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarter finals on Thursday.

The Swiss top seed, who was two points from an embarrassing defeat against Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo on Wednesday, sealed a straightforward victory in 71 minutes.

Federer, who won his first title of season at the Estoril Open last week, is still on course for a third consecutive Monte Carlo final against Spain’s Rafael Nadal, a 6-4, 6-1 winner against compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Third seed Novak Djokovic ended Andy Murray’s hopes with a 6-0, 6-4 thrashing of the Briton and will play Sam Querrey after the American upset French seventh seed Richard Gasquet 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Federer, who now plays Argentine sixth seed David Nalbandian, was happy with his performance, a day after feeling the heat against the world No. 137.

Nadal, the defending champion, withstood Ferrero’s early fight back to set up another all-Spanish meeting with David Ferrer.

Fifth seed Ferrer, who has been eliminated at the quarter final stage on his last three appearances in the principality, swept aside Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-0 in the third round in 67 minutes. The results mean that all top six seeds will be in the quarter finals.

Nadal and Ferrero, with four French Open titles and five Monte Carlo crowns between them, treated the fans to top-notch tennis in the first set before the 13th seed ran out of steam.

Number two seed Nadal built a 4-1 lead in the first set after an early break only for Ferrero to level at 4-4 with a super forehand winner on his opponent’s serve.

Ferrero, found some success by changing his tactics, winning 13 points at the net.

However, Nadal took the set after 54 minutes on his fourth chance by winning an impressive rally during which Ferrero retrieved the ball between his legs with his back to the net. Nadal now had a grip on the match and rolled on, sealing victory after one hour and 46 minutes with a backhand winner.

Murray, seeded 14th, was nowhere to be seen in the first set but fought back in the second, only to serve successive double faults in the last game.

Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia beat German 16th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 and next meets compatriot Igor Andreev, who wasted six match points before beating Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

Mahesh Bhupathi, meanwhile, booked a quarter final berth along with Mark Knowles while Leander Paes and Paul Hanley crashed out of the men’s doubles event.

Bhupathi and Knowles, seeded fourth, defeated Brazilian duo Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa 6-4, 6-3 in the second round. They next meet fifth seeds Simon Aspelin of Sweden and Julian Knowles of Austria.

The unseeded pair of Paes and Hanley squandered a first-set lead to lose 6-4, 3-6, 3-10 to second-seeded Israeli duo of Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich. (AGENCIES)