Men's second seed Alexander Zverev survived a third successive five-setter to see off big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in the French Open fourth round in Paris.
German tennis player Alexander Zverev. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The German, fired up by a code violation for being coached from the stands by his father, stormed into the lead in the fourth set before securing victory in three and a half hours on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
"I'm young, so I might as well stay on court and practise a little bit," Zverev said courtside. "It's the best, a five-set match.
It is the first time Zverev has reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam and he will face Austrian seventh seed Dominic Thiem, who beat Japan's Kei Nishikori in four sets.
Nishikori took his only break point opportunity to claim the third set but Thiem, twice Roland Garros semi-finalist, regained control in the fourth.
Former champion Novak Djokovic never looked in trouble as he booked a 12th quarter-final appearance in Paris with a straight sets win over Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco.
U.S. Open runner-up Madison Keys advanced to the last eight without dropping a set, defeating Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu in straight sets.
Up next for Keys is Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, who upset 26th seed Czech Barbora Strycova 6-4 6-3.
Sloane Stephens sprinted past Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-2 6-0 to set up a potential semi-final meeting with Keys, whom she beat in last year's U.S. Open final.
Play was suspended due to fading light, with Russian Daria Kasatkina leading 7-6(5) 3-3 against second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki.
-Reuters
