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Stan Wawrinka through, Kei Nishikori sets up Andy Murray clash in French Open
Kei Nishikori set-up a quarterfinal clash with Andy Murray as he won a tough encounter against Fernando Verdasco while Stan Wawrinka also progressed to the next round with a hard-fought win over Gael Monfils.
Third seed and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka reached the French Open quarter-finals on Monday defeating Gael Monfils 7-5, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2.
Wawrinka is through to the last eight at Roland Garros for the fourth time after ending French hopes of a first men’s singles champion in Paris since 1983.
The Swiss goes on to face Croatian seventh seed Marin Cilic for a spot in the semi-finals.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori set up a French Open quarter-final duel against world number one Andy Murray on Monday after downing Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round.
Eighth-seeded Nishikori booked a seventh Grand Slam quarter-final spot -- the best ever by a Japanese man -- with a 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 win over 33-year-old Verdasco of Spain.
Nishikori also made the last eight in Paris in 2015 when he fell to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in five sets.
Croatian seventh seed Marin Cilic reached his first French Open quarter-final on Monday when South African opponent Kevin Anderson suffered a thigh injury and retired from their last-16 clash.
Cilic was leading 6-3, 3-0 after just 48 minutes when Anderson called it quits.
Cilic is the first Croatian man in the quarter-finals since Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic in 2006.
He will face either third seed and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka or Gael Monfils for a place in the semi-finals.
