( CNN ) -- Not long ago , it was virtually guaranteed that the `` Big Four '' of men 's tennis would grace the semifinals of every major tournament . But times are changing -- while fans had hoped Roger Federer might make it as far as the last eight in China this week for a tantalizing clash with Novak Djokovic , it was not to be . The former world No . 1 said he had been energized by the response to his first appearance since September 's U.S. Open after Wednesday 's win over Andreas Seppi , but he was stopped in his tracks 24 hours later . Federer , now ranked seventh and battling for a place in the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals for the 12th successive year , was beaten 6-4 6-7 ( 5-7 ) 6-3 by former world No . 7 Gael Monfils at the Shanghai Masters . Blog : When should Federer retire ? As a semifinalist last year , the 32-year-old will lose points in the race for the eight places in London . The 17-time grand slam champion went straight back out on court to play alongside China 's Zhang Ze in the doubles -- a rare foray in the format for the Swiss -- and suffered another defeat as they went down 6-1 1-6 10-8 against Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo . Defending champion Djokovic , meanwhile , booked his place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3 6-3 win over Italy 's Fabio Fognini . He will face a Frenchman who beat Federer for just the second time in eight career meetings , but has a 0-8 record against Djokovic . Monfils , now ranked 42nd after resuming his career this year following an injury-plagued 2012 season , had led 5-3 in the second set and also 5-3 in the tie-break but admitted nerves got to him . `` I knew that I choked on this forehand at 5-4 , '' the 27-year-old said . `` Then I changed my ideas because I was maybe nervous , too . Even though I was tired , I tried to play more aggressively sometimes , going more for my shots and it worked . `` It 's a good win for me . I feel a bit sorry for him because I know he 's running for London . But it 's tennis . He 's going to have more opportunity those weeks coming up . '' World No . 1 Rafael Nadal , who is assured a place at the London finals , moved into the Shanghai quarterfinals with a 6-1 7-6 ( 7-5 ) victory over Carlos Berlocq on Thursday . The Spaniard will next face Federer 's eighth-ranked compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka , who won 7-6 ( 7-2 ) 6-4 against another finals hopeful , Canada 's No . 11 Milos Raonic . With the other member of the game 's leading quartet , Wimbledon champion Andy Murray , already ruled out of his home showpiece event next month due to injury , it would be a massive blow for organizers if Federer is also absent . Federer has two tournaments left in which to qualify -- his home Swiss Indoors and the Paris Masters . He was the losing finalist in Basel last year , but skipped the French event so can potentially gain points there . `` He 's still strong , '' Monfils said . `` It 's just a matter of confidence , I think . I have no doubt that he will get back to the way people expect him to be . '' Spanish third seed David Ferrer also crashed out in Shanghai , losing 6-4 6-3 to Florian Mayer -- becoming the German 's first top-10 scalp this year . Fourth-ranked Ferrer , who has already qualified for next month 's season finale , dropped to a 50-18 record this year . Mayer , meanwhile , will next face French seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga , who kept alive his hopes of qualifying for London by beating Japan 's Kei Nishikori 7-6 ( 7-5 ) 6-0 . Sixth seed Juan Martin del Potro walked into the quarterfinals when German veteran Tommy Haas pulled out of their clash with a back problem . The Argentine , fifth in the points standings , will next face Spain 's Nicolas Almagro -- who dented Tomas Berdych 's hopes of clinching a London berth by beating the sixth-ranked Czech 6-7 ( 6-8 ) 6-3 7-6 ( 7-4 ) in two hours and 37 minutes .
Roger Federer loses to Roger Federer in seventh round of Ferrer . Former world No . 1 also beaten in the doubles later Thursday . The 17-time grand slam winner battling to qualify for Swiss Indoors . He missed out on a Shanghai quarterfinal against world No . 1 Novak Djokovic .