Rafael Nadal came back from two sets down to beat Mikhail Youzhny 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Thursday.
Nadal, the second seed and runner-up last year, will meet Czech Tomas Berdych, the number seven seed, in the last eight after taking just over three hours to overcome Youzhny.
The Russian 14th seed played near flawless tennis in the opening two sets, finding the corners with precision and hitting fine volleys at the net while Nadal struggled to settle after his marathon match with Robin Soderling in the previous round.
The roles were reversed from the third set which Nadal raced through in 27 minutes after which Youzhny needed courtside treatment on his back.
Youzhny was then overwhelmed as the fired-up Spaniard took the match with identical scores and times in the last two sets.
Berdych stays on course
Seventh seeded Berdych continued his unassuming passage into the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-0, 6-7, 6-0 victory over an irate Jonas Bjorkman.
Overpowered in the opening two sets but leading the third 4-3 with a break point, the Swede was infuriated when umpire James Keothavong overruled a Berdych serve in.
"That is why you suck," the 35-year-old said, lambasting the unpire's decision.
Last year's surprise semi-finalist branded the official "absolutely useless" before clawing back into the match by winning the third set tie-break 8-6.
The big-hitting Czech regained his composure after a brief rain break to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time.
The 19th-seeded Bjorkman refused to shake the umpire's hand as he departed from Court 18.
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