Carlos Alcaraz booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Tuesday, edging past Russia's Karen Khachanov in a gruelling three-set battle, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, on the centre court at Foro Italico.
The third seed had won all four of their previous meetings without dropping a set, but he found himself pushed to the limit this time as he pursued a maiden title in Rome.
The 21-year-old Spaniard must reach at least the semi-finals in the Italian capital to secure a top-two seeding at the French Open, which begins later this month. His victory over Khachanov marked his 12th win on clay this season.
Alcaraz will next face fifth seed Jack Draper, who overcame France's Corentin Moutet to advance to the last eight.
Reflecting on the hard-fought win, Alcaraz admitted: "It was tiring. The match was really tough. I had to run a lot. I didn't play well, I just kept fighting, and I'm really happy to come through it."