The world's top tennis player proved too great a foe for Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka, who has lost to Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals at Key Biscayne.

Nadal came from behind in both sets on Wednesday to beat 15th-ranked Wawrinka 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) in a match that went to two hours and 42 minutes.

Roger Federer on the same day overcame eight break points to dispatch a hard-charging Taylor Dent of the US 6-3, 6-2 at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Federer double-faulted twice in the game against the world number 467 and dumped several hurried shots into the net, leaving him mumbling, then screaming.

"I had to save so many break points over and over again," Federer said. "I was serving against the wind, so I was struggling with my first serve there a bit. He did well to keep coming at me and creating opportunities. It was definitely a big game for me."

Federer, the world number two, will face fifth-seed Andy Roddick in the quarterfinal. Federer has beaten Roddick 16 times out of 18 but lost to the American at the same stage of the same tournament last year.

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