Top seed Novak Djokovic passed another test on his suspect right ankle when he posted a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Juan Monaco to join eight-time champion Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Djokovic will next take on Finn Jarkko Nieminen who spent two and a half hours in knocking out Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) to reach only his third clay quarter-final since 2006.
Third seed Nadal turned in a routine performance to dispatch German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-4 as the Spanish king of clay bids for a record ninth straight trophy at the event.
“I’m very excited to play in every tournament, and especially when I’m playing in a tournament like Monte Carlo,” said Nadal, who won his 44th match in a row at the venue where he suffered his only loss a decade ago.
“To be excited is impossible, I feel more relaxed also.”
Nadal will next line up against Grigour Dimitrov, who beat Germany’s Florian Mayer, 6-2, 6-4.