MONTE CARLO, Monaco — Roger Federer beat Gael Monfils of France 6-3, 6-4 today to advance to the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion overcame an early break against Monfils and looked to have recovered a day after he had to come back from 5-1 down in the third set to beat 137th-ranked Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo.

The top-ranked Swiss set up match point with a perfectly weighted drop shot that Monfils didn't even chase, and won on his second match point with a service winner that curled away from the Frenchman.

Monfils threatened early on, breaking Federer in the third game. Federer broke straight back for 2-2 and took Monfils' serve again in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead after Monfils sent a big forehand wide.

Federer clinched the opening set when Monfils hit a service return long.

Federer broke his opponent in the third game of the second set and was leading 4-2 when Monfils saved three break points.

Also, three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal beat Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-1.

"I think it was a good match," Nadal said. "It is never easy to play against Juan Carlos. He's a big player, especially here on clay. It is a very good start for me and that gives me confidence."

Nadal will face David Ferrer of Spain, who beat Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-4, 6-0 to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth straight year.

The fifth-seeded Ferrer has never advanced past the last eight at Monte Carlo. He lost to Roger Federer in the 2006 and 2007 quarterfinals, and to Guillermo Coria in 2005.

Also, Igor Andreev of Russia needed seven match points to finally overcome Nicolas Almagro of Spain 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

Nadal broke Ferrero in the fourth game for a 3-1 lead, but Ferrero pinned Nadal on the baseline in the seventh game and broke back, then held for 4-4.

Ferrero saved three set points in the 10th game _ the first with a forehand winner and the next two when Nadal sent big forehands long going for baseline winners _ but then conceded the opener after a thrilling rally.

Nadal dominated the second set more convincingly, opening up a 4-0 lead before Ferrero broke in the fifth game. Nadal broke straight back to lead 5-1 and clinched the match on serve with a crosscourt winner that bounced at Ferrero's feet.

Third-seeded Novak Djokovic faced Andy Murray in later matches.