Montreal - Roger Federer lost his grip leading 5-1 in the final set to fall victim to a storming 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 7-6 (7-3) comeback from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as the top seed crashed out in the quarter-finals of the Montreal Masters. The upset in just under two and a half hours stopped a 21-match win streak for the world number one Swiss, who had won on clay in Madrid and Paris and lifted a sixth Wimbledon title five weeks ago over Andy Roddick.
"Of course I hope I can get through these matches, especially being up a double break," said Federer. "It's obviously disappointing, but that's what Jo does.
"He doesn't make a return for three hours, and then he puts in a few and then all of a sudden he gets back into the match.
"I never should have allowed it, but it did happen so it's a pity."
Andy Roddick, Federer's fifth-seeded losing opponent in three Wimbledon finals, advanced as his run of form continued, defeating Serb Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
The American who lost last week's Washington final to Juan Del Potro next plays the winner from holder Rafael Nadal and Del Potro.
Roddick was out-aced 10-4 by Djokovic, but managed to come through in the important moments. "I hung tough when I was down a break in the second set," said Roddick. "I go through this one.
"I have played tiebreaks over seven of the last nine days, I have a lot of them behind me now," he said of the second set.
Tsonga, treated in the third set for an apparent elbow injury, hung tough as Federer twice served for victory.
The 2008 Australian Open finalist then fought his way back into contention, forcing Federer to save three match points in the 12th game to squeeze to a tiebreaker.
The decider went Tsonga's way to lift the seventh seed into a Saturday semi-final with Britain's Andy Murray.
Tonga said he groped his way out of what had looked to be an impossible situation. "5-1 down and Roger playing well. I had no solution," said the Frenchman.
"I just said to myself, 'You have to put the ball one more time than him' - and I did it. It was just amazing to change this match."
Added Federer, now heading to next week's event in Cincinnati with his wife and two newborn girls in tow: "It was great to get some matches in, but my goal wasn't really just to play matches here and sort of show up and do press conferences.
"The point of the whole trip here was trying to do well and trying to win the tournament."
Murray had to overcome a battle with the elements to stay on track for his best career ranking after a 6-2, 6-4 quarter-final defeat of Russian Nikolay Davydenko.
Murray, who trained in steamy Miami in the period leading up to his summer hardcourt return in Canada, said he was able to get on top of 30 degree Celsius heat.
"The balls were flying quite a lot," said the number three who could take the number two ranking from Rafael Nadal if he advances farther than the Spaniard this weekend.
Nadal had a later quarter-final against Argentine Juan Del Potro.
"The middle of the second set got a little bit breezy, as well. It was tough and probably why there was quite a lot of mistakes early on in the match," added the Scot who holds four titles so far in 2009.
The day was historic with the world's top eight players all competing in the same quarter-finals for the first time since the rankings began 36 years ago.
