Montreal - Two-time Canadian champion Andy Roddick hung tough in a final-set tiebreaker to outlast Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7- 2), 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), reaching the quarter-finals of the Montreal Masters Thursday.

The American fifth seed has now played the quarters or better at his last five events dating to Queen's club on grass in early June. Roddick was out-aced by Spain's Verdasco 13 to 12 in a struggle lasting more than two and a half hours.

Roddick improved to 9-2 in the series as he shook off two match points saved by the Spaniard and Davis Cup hero of last year's final. The American went into the ensuing last-set decider with confidence, finally claiming victory as Verdasco put a forehand long to end the baseline battle.

Number three Andy Murray continued to push towards a shot at replacing Rafael Nadal at second in the world as the Scot manhandled Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 6-3.

Murray completed a summer victory hat-trick 6-1, 6-3 over the 29- year-old after winning their June matches at Queen's and Wimbledon.

Murray must reach the semi-finals and hope Nadal does not do the same in the race to become the new number two.

"It was a really tough start, those first three or four games lasted about half an hour. Once I got the second break in the first set I started to feel a lot more comfortable," said Murray.

"I hit the ball very well. There were a lot of really good rallies, it was good to get into a rhythm like that.

"I played better and better as the match went on. If you can get a good start in all your matches it's going to make a big difference to whether you win or lose."

2007 champion Novak Djokovic, the number four, beat Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-4 while last weekend's sixth-seeded Washington winner Juan Del Potro rallied past Romanian Victor Hanescu 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.(dpa)