Rafa Nadal overcame a sluggish start and a stiff challenge from Canadian ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime with an enthralling 3-6 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-3 win to set up a mouth-watering quarter-final with world number one Novak Djokovic.
Rafa Nadal Photo:
This was only the third time in his 112 matches that Nadal was taken to the fifth set at Roland Garros and he ensured he kept his blemish-free record intact, wrapping up the win in four hours and 21 minutes to wild applause from the crowd.
Nadal will hope he can recover in time from the gruelling contest for his next outing, where the reigning champion awaits for their 59th career showdown.
The Spaniard, who will turn 36 on Friday, has lifted the Musketeers' Cup a record 13 times but was ousted in the semi-finals last year by Djokovic.
Djokovic completed his victory against Diego Schwartzman on Court Suzanne Lenglen shortly before his long-time rival started his match and the Serb is yet to lose a set in his four rounds.
"We know each other well," Nadal said of Djokovic. "We have a lot of history together. He came here after winning in Rome. For me, it was not an ideal situation to arrive here. But here we are. We are at Roland Garros, it is my favourite place without a doubt.
"The only thing I can tell you, I am going to be focused and try my best. The only thing I can guarantee is that I am going to fight until the end," added the Spaniard who converted only six of his 22 breakpoint chances in the match.
The clash on Court Philippe Chatrier was the second meeting between Nadal and Auger-Aliassime but the first since Toni Nadal began working with the Canadian in 2021.
Djokovic showed glimpses of his brilliant best to demolish Schwartzman 6-1 6-3 6-3.
The world number one's pace was too much for Argentine Schwartzman, who barely threatened despite enjoying a 3-0 lead in the second set.
Djokovic has now reached the last eight here for the 13th year in a row.
Third seed Alexander Zverev recovered from some lapses of concentration and an erratic serve to beat Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles 7-6(11) 7-5 6-3.
The German now faces Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz, the sixth seed, who beat Karen Khachanov 6-1 6-4 6-4.
In the women's draw, teenager Coco Gauff reached the quarter-finals for the second year in a row when she destroyed Belgian Elise Mertens 6-4 6-0 in the fourth round.
17th seed Leylah Fernandez of Canada beat American Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
-Reuters
