Roger Federer was sent packing earlier than expected by eighth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals, while eight-time champion Rafael Nadal made it through to the next round.
The third seeded Federer, returning to the court after a knee surgery in February, fell to the Frenchman 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 on Friday, despite holding two match points when 5-4 up in the decider.
Tsonga will now face his compatriot Gael Monfils in the semifinals after the latter eased past Marcel Granollers of Spain 6-2, 6-4.
In the other quarterfinals, World No. 2 Andy Murray and the fifth seed Nadal both snatched victories and will play each other in the semi-finals.
Nadal, who’s on course to his ninth title at Monte Carlo, breezed off Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 6-1, 6-4, breaking Wawrinka’s serve four times and conceding only one break point to reach his 11th Monte Carlo semi-final.
Wawrinka, last year’s Roland Garros champion, broke his racquet in the fifth game of the first set to the boos of spectators, saying that he was disturbed by all of the noise coming from the restaurant above the court.
As for Murray, who has a 6-16 record against Nadal and 1-6 on clay, will play the Spaniard for a place in the final after having routed Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-0.
The Scot beat Nadal in the Madrid Masters final last year, when he won his first of two career titles on clay.
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