Home, sweet home, at last.

For the first time in 13 tries, Richard Gasquet has reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, the Frenchman’s home Grand Slam. The 29 year old upset fifth seed Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the final eight in Paris.

“[It was a] great match for me to win [against] the No. 6 in the world on central court in Paris,” Gasquet said. “I took a lot of confidence after winning that [first] set. I played much better in the second set, and also with the crowd cheering for me, it was a great moment.”

Gasquet had lost in the fourth round at Roland Garros four times previously (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015). The ninth seed also had never taken a set off of Nishikori on clay, having lost in straight sets to to the Japanese twice earlier this month (Madrid, Rome).

But Gasquet owned a 6-2 advantage in their overall FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry. With the French crowd behind him and his picturesque one-handed backhand firing, Gasquet achieved personal history by playing more aggressive from the baseline.

“I knew if I want to win [against] this guy, I need to play very, very deep and very fast… If I’m playing short like I did in Rome and Madrid, I have no chance to win,” Gasquet said. “You also need to be able to whack the ball from the baseline, and that’s what I tried to do.”

He fell behind 2-4 before a 50-minute rain delay. When play resumed, though, Gasquet took over, winning 10 of the next 12 games to gain a two-set lead. Nishikori rebounded in the third, breaking Gasquet to force a fourth set.

But the Frenchman, wearing the blue, white and red of the French flag, broke Nishikori twice in the fourth and held at love to advance. Gasquet will face second seed Andy Murray in the quarter-finals. The Scot leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 7-3, including their past five meetings. “It’s always important to have the crowd cheering for you, as they did it on the court, and I admit it made a big difference for me,” Gasquet said. “Of course it will be the same on Tuesday, but for sure I need to play a big match to win [against] Andy.”

Nishikori was trying to reach the final eight for the second consecutive year and match his best showing in Paris. Had he won, he would have become the second Japanese man to reach multiple quarter-finals at Roland Garros (Jiri Sato, 1931, 1933). “It was heavy [conditions], and I couldn’t really dictate with my forehand or backhand,” Nishikori said. “I think he played good tennis… I have to give him credit.”

Andy Murray booked his spot in the Roland Garros quarter-finals for a third consecutive year, downing John Isner 7-6(9), 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.

Second seed Murray, who now owns a 6-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head edge over his American opponent, advanced to the last eight at the clay-court Grand Slam for the sixth time. It is the most quarters reached by a British man in Roland Garros history.

“I’m pumped to be in the quarters of a slam,” said Murray, who will face home hope Richard Gasquet next. “Obviously the atmosphere will be tough, but I don’t mind that. I played a number of times against French players here in difficult atmospheres and I managed okay.”

Four of the previous six encounters between Murray and Isner had opened with a first-set tie-break, and the script would hold true to form on Sunday. Isner, who failed to convert on two break chances earlier in the set, battled back after conceding an immediate mini-break. He had a set point on his racquet at 6/5 after inducing an error off a Murray second serve, but the American left his approach shot short as he darted to the net to close out the opener. Murray slipped a backhand down the line for a sublime winner and the momentum shifted. Two more set points were saved by the Scot, who eventually converted the second of his own, pulling Isner out wide to the ad court and drawing an error to clinch the tie-break 11-9.

“I think it could have been a little bit different if I won that set,” said Isner. “I had it on my racquet serving at 6/5. I had a short forehand, too, and didn’t do anything with it. I hit it right back to him and he passed me up the line, because he’s No. 2 in the world, and that’s what he does. I didn’t take advantage of that opportunity right there… I think I went with option D there. A, B, and C would have been better.” 

“The first set was key,” said Murray. “I didn’t have any chances until the tiebreak. I was a bit lucky on the 6/5 point. He had a great serve and I guessed the right way on his approach shot. That point was very important, for sure. And then after that I was starting to create a lot more chances on the return games. Most games I felt like I was having opportunities and wasn’t giving him any chances on my serve.” 

The skies opened at 1-1 in the second set and a 50-minute rain delay would ensue. But Murray would not be rattled, eventually taking a two-set lead with a late break in the 10th game. In favourable heavy conditions, the World No. 2 took his first set point, chasing down an Isner drop shot and firing a volley into the open court. He continued to apply pressure on the 6’10” right-hander in the third set, breaking for 3-1 when an Isner drop shot found the net. Murray turned aside a break chance when serving for the match in the ninth game, emerging victorious after just under three hours. He withstood 18 aces from the big-serving American and saved all five break points faced. Murray has denied a combined 31 of 32 break chances in six encounters against Isner.

“The conditions were certainly slower and that would benefit me against someone that serves as well as John,” added Murray. “I think when we came back out after the rain delay, the balls were getting heavy very quick. The beginning of the match it was fairly slow because there hadn’t been any rain during the day. The balls weren’t getting that heavy when we were going to the back of the courts and the covers. When we came back out the balls were extremely slow, so I was able to return a lot more serves, get a lot more in the service games, extend the rallies, and that’s where I was able to dictate most of the points.” 

Murray extended his winning streak to nine matches after lifting the trophy at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Rome two weeks ago (d. Djokovic). He completed a pair of five-set wins to open the fortnight, including his ninth career 0-2 comeback over Radek Stepanek in the first round.

Isner, meanwhile, was seeking to become the first American to reach the quarter-finals on the terre battue since Andre Agassi in 2003. American men are now 0-7 in the fourth round in the past 13 years.

“I do think I did turn a corner on my season this week, considering how I was down and out in my first-round match,” Isner added. “So I’m leaving this tournament with positive feelings going forward in my year here in 2016.

“It’s not going to be a somber ride back to the States for me, whereas a lot of times this year I have left the tournament with a very bad taste in my mouth. It’s not so much that this week.”

Milos Raonic turned his focus to the grass-court swing and a three-week partnership with John McEnroe on Sunday following a fourth-round exit at Roland Garros.

The Canadian, who currently works with Carlos Moya and Riccardo Piatti, explained the reason why former World No. 1 McEnroe has agreed to join his team as a consultant.

“I was sort of just looking for another set of eyes to be a bit more efficient on grass, and I think people are seeing it as just for grass,” said Raonic, after he lost to Albert Ramos-Vinolas in Paris. “It’s about generally improving. I want to improve coming forward and I want to improve putting more pressure on my opponents.

“I feel like I was a lot more efficient at the beginning of the year coming forward, and it’s something that I would like to put a lot of attention to. It just works out with grass that’s probably the thing that will benefit me the most. Now, in the three weeks leading to Wimbledon, we are going to work, and really put some attention to that.

“[There are] other parts of my game that I can do a bit differently to be better, and it’s not by any means just with the intention of Wimbledon. It’s about generally improving.”

McEnroe, who now works as a television commentator and is a part of the ATP Champions Tour, spent 170 weeks at No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

“It’s a great honour and there’s a lot I want to achieve,” said 25-year-old Raonic. “I’m maybe far from it today, but I feel like I’m a lot closer and I’m going to try to do everything I can to sort of maximise giving myself the opportunity to achieve those goals.

“At the end of the day of the day, every coach I have is to some extent an adviser, and it is my job personally, out of everything I hear, to weigh what it’s worth and weigh what is best for me. I’m the CEO of the Milos Raonic Tennis. That’s it… I know everybody I have around me wants to help me to the fullest.

“It’s not a focus for just Wimbledon. It’s John coming along to help me improve in general.”

Raonic reached the 2014 Wimbledon semi-finals and has an 8-9 record in ATP World Tour finals (all on hard courts). The World No. 9 will next compete at the Aegon Championships in London.

Viktor Troicki has evened his fourth-round match against third seed Stan Wawrinka on Sunday at Roland Garros 6-7(5), 7-6(9). After losing the first-set tie-break, the Serbian clinched the second set tie-break on his fifth set point.

The opening sets have been near opposites. Neither player lost his serve during the first set. Wawrinka never even faced a break point. But in the second, both players earned two breaks of serve in the back-and-forth contest.

Troicki, No. 24 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, is looking to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final. He’s reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam four times, including twice at Roland Garros (2011 l. to Murray, 2013 l. to Tsonga) but has never reached the final eight.

Wawrinka, the defending Roland Garros champion, is looking to win his eighth match in a row and reach the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year.

Milos Raonic will have two former World No. 1s in his corner after it was announced that John McEnroe will join the 25-year-old in a consulting role during the upcoming grass-court season. Raonic is scheduled to play at the Aegon Championships at Queen’s Club, in addition to making a sixth appearance at Wimbledon.

McEnroe is one of many former No. 1 players in the Emirates ATP Rankings to join the coaching ranks in recent years, along with Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl and Carlos Moya. Moya was brought on by Raonic in a full-time role in January. The World No. 9 is also coached by Riccardo Piatti.

“He’s one of five or six guys that can win Wimbledon.” McEnroe said during an interview on Eurosport on Friday night. “I’m excited to be part of his team. Milos has a great team with Riccardo Piatti and Carlos Moya. I’m going to be a consultant on the grass.”

Known for his deft touch and exceptional volleying skills, McEnroe, who spent 170 weeks atop the Emirates ATP Rankings, joined Raonic for an hour-long practice Saturday at Roland Garros.

.@milosraonic & John McEnroe with a little post-practice chat. Milos + McEnroe + Moya = Magic? #InsideRG pic.twitter.com/CcI7zZOhje

— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2016

The Canadian is looking to build on a strong start to the season that has seen him post a 27-6 record, claiming an eighth ATP World Tour title in Brisbane and reaching the final at the Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells. He is slated to face Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the Roland Garros fourth round on Sunday.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic streaked into the Round of 16 at Roland Garros, racing past Aljaz Bedene 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.

With darkness decending on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the top seed took care of business after just over two hours. He fired 39 winners in total, including five aces, to secure his 10th appearance in the fourth on the terre battue. Djokovic was efficient at the net, claiming 11 of 15 points, while turning aside five of seven break points faced.

“I tried to come up with the right tactics and execution of the tactics, which I did,” Djokovic said. “I played very well. There were a couple of long games where I didn’t use my opportunities. But, I closed out two sets pretty well and started the third great. I had a couple opportunities for a double break and 2-Love.

“Then I dropped my serve and the games were very long… We went deep into night. I think we played to the maximum extent of time we could, with the light. I’m just glad I managed to finish tonight.”

After claiming the first two sets, the Serb broke immediately to open the third and overcame a break back from Bedene in the fourth game, breaking twice more to close out the win over the World No. 66. Djokovic, who notched his 50th match win at the clay-court Grand Slam on Thursday, with victory over Steve Darcis, will look to reach the quarter-finals when he faces Roberto Bautista Agut.

“Obviously it’s not easy to play Novak,” said Bedene, who was appearing in his first Grand Slam third round. “I honestly felt like he wasn’t giving anything. I had to play well to get games. He was returning well, so I was under constant pressure, which wasn’t easy. But I was playing some decent ball. I could maybe get a few more games, but I was fighting well. I’m pleased with the performance.”

Bautista Agut, who is seeking his first win in five FedEx ATP Head2Head clashes against Djokovic, fired past Next Generation star Borna Coric 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. The Spaniard, seeded 14th, needed two hours to emerge victorious, equalling his best Grand Slam result in advancing to the fourth round.

The 28 year old recorded three straight match wins on clay for the first time since his title run at the ATP World Tour 250 event in Stuttgart in 2014. He will be seeking revenge against Djokovic on Monday, after suffering a 6-2, 6-1 defeat at the Masters 1000 event in Madrid earlier this month.

David Goffin improved to 3-0 in five-setters at Roland Garros, scoring his first victory over Nicolas Almagro 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 on Saturday.

The Belgian, who won a pair of five-set battles en route to his lone previous Round of 16 appearance on the Parisian clay, in 2012, fired 36 winners, including 10 aces, to advance after nearly three hours. Now seeded 12th at the clay-court Grand Slam, Goffin was a lucky loser when he reached the fourth round four years ago (l. to Federer).

After falling behind two-sets-to-one, Almagro looked to swing the momentum in his favour deep in the fourth. He abruptly took a 0/40 lead at 5-4 and forced a decider a point later. But an in-form Goffin would not be denied in the fifth, breaking for 2-1 with a rifled cross-court forehand, which drew an error from his Spanish opponent. He would break once again in the seventh game before securing the victory on his first match point.

Goffin is set to square off against Ernests Gulbis for a spot in the quarter-finals. It will be their third FedEx ATP Head2Head encounter, having split the first two meetings.

Gulbis advanced to the Round of 16 in Paris for the second time in three years when No. 1 Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired with a left adductor injury. The 27-year-old Latvian is enjoying a resurgence on the terre battue this week, winning three matches at a tournament for the first time since Vienna last year. His best Grand Slam result game here at Roland Garros in 2014, reaching the semi-finals (l. to Djokovic).

“It is very strange,” said Gulbis. “I feel very sorry for Jo. Here unfortunately we played just seven games. It’s never nice to win like this, so I feel very sorry for him. There’s not much I can say about the match itself. It was just the beginning. I was just starting to get to feel the atmosphere of the centre court. I haven’t been here for a couple of years.

“But overall, if we take that apart away, then I’m satisfied the way I played and the way I hit the ball in practice and in the first two rounds. The second round was especially good from my game and from my perspective.”

An emotional Tsonga, who left the court in tears, led 5-2 in the first set when he was forced to withdraw after stretching to hit a forehand. It marked just the second time since 2009 that he failed to reach the second week at his home Grand Slam. Ninth seed Richard Gasquet is now the lone remaining player from France in the singles draw.

“The problem is my adductor, the same thing I had before the tournament,” Tsonga lamented. “I just came on court pretty good and feeling really good. The first game of the match I slid and I felt a pain.

“It’s of course a big disappointment. I felt really well on the court. I was in a really good shape today. It’s just really difficult to accept that I’m not in the tournament anymore.”