Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning his match against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut at the French Open in Paris, yesterday.
Paris: Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal surged into the French Open quarter-finals for a record-equalling 11th time yesterday, while reigning women's title-holder Garbine Muguruza crashed out in the last 16.
Nadal continued his ruthless form at Roland Garros by dispatching Spanish 17th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 to match Roger Federer's mark of last-eight appearances in Paris. The 14-time major winner is yet to drop a set, conceding just six games in the last two rounds as he strives to become the first man to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam.
"I'm happy because Roberto is a very good player. It's very important for me to be in the quarter-finals one more time," said Nadal, who turned 31 on Saturday.
"Probably I didn't play as well as I did the other day, but I still played well."
The fourth seed will meet compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta, through to his first Slam quarter-final, for spot in the last four after the latter stunned Canada's Milos Raonic.
Carreno Busta, seeded 20th, needed seven match points to clinch a thrilling 4-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 8-6 win over the fifth-seeded Raonic in four hours and 17 minutes. Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached a record-equalling 11th French Open quarter-final on with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 6-3 win over Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Japan's Kei Nishikori fought off a fierce five-set challenge from rising South Korean talent Hyeon Chung to clinch a place in the last 16. Eighth seed Nishikori led two sets to one but trailed by a double break at 3-0 down in the fourth set when rain halted play on Saturday. Chung forced the contest into a deciding set as play resumed yesterday, but the world number 67 double faulted on match point to gift Nishikori a 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 0-6, 6-4 victory.
"I think the rain helps me a lot, because I was really down in the fourth set and mentally I wasn't ready," admitted Nishikori.
"I knew I had to change something to beat him today, so I think I made some adjustments to make little better than yesterday."
It was the first third-round meeting between two Asian players at Roland Garros, with 2014 US Open finalist Nishikori going on to play Fernando Verdasco for a place in the quarter-finals.
Karen Khachanov will play Andy Murray in the fourth round after the giant Russian beat American 21st seed John Isner 7-6 (7/1), 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/3).
Kristina Mladenovic (pictured) ensured France will have women in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1994 after dumping out fourth seed Muguruza 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. The French 13th seed is through to just her second Slam quarter-final -- after the 2015 US Open -- and will face Venus Williams or Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky for a spot in the last four. Danish 11th seed Caroline Wozniacki knocked off 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the last eight for just the second time. Switzerland's Timea Bacsinszky qualified for her third successive French Open quarter-final with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 win over 2002 runner-up Venus Williams.
