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) 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 player, who had won on clay in Madrid and Paris and lifted a sixth Wimbledon title five weeks ago over Andy Roddick.

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.

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.

Murray broke three times in the first set against Davydenko, playing on hardcourt for the first time this summer after winning clay titles in Hamburg and Croatia.

"I did what I had to do," said Murray. "Every time I've played against him, you never feel like you're playing your best tennis because he takes the ball so early.

"He rushes you and in every rally he plays really, really aggressive."

In other quarter-finals, fourth seed Novak Djokovic was playing number five Andy Roddick. (dpa)