On-form world No 2 Andy Murrav and defending champion Stan Wawrinka reached the French Open quarterfinals on Sunday as Japan’s Kei Nishikori was was bundled out by home favourite Richard Gasquet.
Murray made the last-eight for the sixth time with a 7-6 (11/9), 6-4, 6-3 win over John Isner of the United States, and he’ll next face Gasquet, the last French player standing, in the last-eight.
The British no 1 has a 7-3 career lead over the 29-year-old Gasquet, including wins at Roland Garros in 2010 and 2012.
Gasquet outplayed fifth seed Nishikori 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
“I started badly, but everyone helped me and it was difficult for Nishikori to play against that,” he said.
“He re-started badly (after the rain) and that gave me confidence to play my game and go for my shots.”
The last French winner of the men’s singles title at Roland Garros was Yannick Noah in 1983.
Wawrinka brushed aside Serbia’s Viktor Troicki 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-2 for his 11th straight win in the year’s second Grand Slam.
The Swiss third seed next faces a Spanish left-hander – not Rafael Nadal – but Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who reached his first Grand Slam last-eight with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Canadian eighth seed Milos Raonic.
It’s the first time that 28-year-old Ramos-Vinolas has got beyond the second round of any major and his first win at Ronald Garros since 2011.
