Federer paces six-seed sweep into Monte Carlo quarter-finals

Number seven Frenchman Richard Gasquet as the only one to fall, crashing out to US surprise Sam Querrey - only American in the field - 2-6, 6-4, 6-3.

 Top seed Federer claimed his 21st straight Gallic victim, lifting a seventh consecutive victory since starting on clay last week in Estoril.

 After staging a desperate fightback from 1-5 down in Wednesday's third set against Spanish outsider Rueben Ramirez-Hidalgo, Federer showed his trademark class on clay by spanking Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-4 in 71 efficient minutes.

 "He always gives you a chance to play aggressive because he doesn't like to do that game himself," said the Swiss world number one, finalist at the last two editions against king of clay Rafael Nadal.

 "It allows you to potentially make a lot of mistakes. But I was patient enough. My forehand worked well today. And I was just happy, after yesterday, to be playing so well."

   Federer's last loss to a French player came against Gasquet at the event three years ago as he went down in the quarter-finals.

 Since 2003, he stands 35-1 against Frenchmen.

 Monfils had little to add: "I should have been more into the match. Instead, I was too happy," confessed the dreadlocked Frenchman.

 Federer said he felt "normal again, playing every day," after his early season was compromised by glandular fever during the Australian Open.

 "With the sickness, it made it that much more difficult to come back and feel normal again.

 "I feel fine again, I'm playing enough. The key for me is getting enough matches. I've played seven matches on clay - I've won seven.

 "I'm just really happy the way things have gone."

   Nadal, aiming to make history by becoming the first to win four straight titles in the principality, joined the party in the last eight, along with number three Novak Djokovic, who crushed rival Andy Murray 6-0, 6-4.

 "The first tournament is always tough," said Nadal, with four clay titles to defend through the French Open. "You don't know how you are playing.

 "For me this is a very good start, winning my first two matches again in two sets. That gives me confidence."

   Nadal has only lost three matches on clay (108-3) since 2005.

 The three-time French Open champion has now completed 27 straight match wins over countrymen, his last loss to a Spaniard coming in the Stuttgart quarter-finals in summer 2004 to Ferrer.

 Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, Federer's beaten opponent in the Estoril final last weekend, advanced over Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 7-5, 6-2

   Spain's fifth seed David Ferrer beat Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-0 and David Nalbandian on sixth rounded out the day's winners, crushing Spaniard Tommy Robredo with the loss of just one game.

 He next plays Federer, with the pair standing 8-8 alltime and the Argentine winning their last two meetings six months ago indoors.