IMAGES from matches on Day 9 at the French Open at Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal continued his birthday celebrations by moving into the French Open quarter-finals on Monday, beating a determined Maximilian Marterer 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(4).
Nadal, who turned 32 on Sunday, fired 39 winners as he completed the victory in two hours and 30 minutes to set up a match with Argentine Diego Schwartzman, who had earlier beaten Kevin Anderson.
After roaring to a two-set lead, Nadal faced a stern test in the third with Marterer leading 3-1 at one point after breaking the Spaniard. The German battled for every point in a bid to drag himself back into the contest.
Nadal, however, maintained composure in the decisive moments of the match to seal victory on his second match point as Marterer's backhand went long.
Kasatkina polishes off Wozniacki to reach last eight
Saved by fading light the night before, there was no escape for world number two Caroline Wozniacki on Monday as she lost 7-6(5), 6-3 in the French Open fourth round to Russian Daria Kasatkina.
Kasatkina, the 14th seed, led 7-6, 3-3 on Sunday when play was called off but any hopes Australian Open champion Wozniacki harboured that her 21-year-old opponent's level would dip on the resumption proved fanciful.
It was all over in a matter of minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier as Kasatkina rattled off the three games she needed to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
Having disposed of one reigning Grand Slam champion, Kasatkina will next face another in US Open winner Sloane Stephens.
Simona Halep too good for Mertens as she reaches last eight
World number one Simona Halep blazed into the French Open quarter-finals by crushing Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2 6-1 as she showed her full range of weapons on Monday.
Romanian Halep, twice a runner-up at Roland Garros, started slowly but once she found her groove, there was nothing the 16th seed could do to avoid a one-sided defeat.
Halep won the last nine games on Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a meeting with either German Angelique Kerber or local favourite Caroline Garcia.
Mertens entered the tournament having won two second-tier events on clay including 16 wins and one defeat, albeit against Halep last month in Madrid when she was comprehensively beaten.
The story was the same on Monday as Halep, a French Open finalist in 2014 and 2017, broke for 2-1 in the opening set and never looked back as she outmanoeuvred Mertens, who was sent chasing the ball all over the court.
The Belgian pulled a break back in the second set but then trailed 5-0 as the top seed punched a ticket for the last eight when Mertens served a double fault on the first match point.
"It was not that easy, she is a tough opponent," said Halep, who is chasing her maiden Grand Slam title.
"I was a bit nervous at the start of the match but I played my best match here at Roland Garros.
"I need to be more aggressive and try to finish the points because I don't hit so many winners."