Error-strewn Murray in shock Monaco exit

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, April 18, 2013 (AFP) - Roger Federer will return to second in the ATP standings next week after Andy Murray collapsed to a 6-1, 6-2 third-round loss to Stanislas Wawrinka at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday.

A shell-shocked Murray committed 24 unforced errors as he lost to Federer's Swiss compatriot, seeded 13th, in 58 minutes.

Murray, a quarter-finalist here a year ago, went nil for two on break points and lost his own serve five times in the rout which sends him back to the practise court for the next fortnight in hopes of repairing his game for the Madrid Masters in early May.

Rafael Nadal stepped up his campaign for an historic ninth straight title at the event as the third seed won his 44th match in a row at the venue with a 6-2, 6-4 defeat of German Philip Kohlschreiber.

The Spanish great lifted his record at the seaside Country Club to 46-1 at a tournament where he suffered his lone defeat in 2003 against Guillermo Coria.

Nadal will next line up in the quarter-finals on Friday against Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Germany's Florian Mayer with an identical 6-2, 6-4 scoreline.

Nadal advanced in 80 minutes and earned revenge for his only loss to Kohlschreiber from 10 meetings, a grass quarter-final defeat from last summer in Halle.

This win was his 16th in a row after successive titles this season in Indian Wells and Acapulco.

Unpredictable Italian Fabio Fognini sprung a surprise on fourth seed Tomas Berdych, dismissing the Czech 6-4, 6-2. French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga thrilled his home fans as he overwhelmed Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-0.

The world number one Serb was testing his injured right ankle for a second straight day as he played Argentine Juan Monaco. (AFP)