Rafael Nadal got through a serious test in the French Open’s fourth round by edging Felix Auger-Aliassime 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a record 59th matchup against rival Novak Djokovic.

🙌🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/nsLcUgApBv

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2022

Sunday’s thriller in Court Philippe Chatrier was only the third five-setter Nadal ever has played at Roland Garros, where he has won 13 of his record 21 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal is 3-0 in those contests that go the distance, part of his overall 109-3 mark at the clay-court tournament.

Two of those three career defeats in Paris came against Djokovic, owner of 20 major titles and two at the French Open. Last year, Djokovic beat Nadal in the semifinals en route to the trophy.

Djokovic leads their overall series 30-28. No other two men have played each other as many times in the professional era of tennis.

NOTHING is a lost cause for Rafael Nadal.

🤯 @rolandgarros #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/H9fsr1MCxG

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) May 29, 2022

Earlier, defending champion Novak Djokovic reached his record 16th career Roland Garros quarterfinal.

The No. 1-ranked Djokovic quickly recovered from only the slightest of blips at the start of the second set Sunday and went on to a 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 victory over 15th-seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argentina at Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Djokovic has won all 12 sets he’s played so far in this year’s tournament and dropped a total of merely 30 games across the four matches.

He fell behind 3-0 in the second set but grabbed seven games in a row to take that set and a 1-0 lead in the third.

Also Read

Watch: Jannik Sinner wins a 46-shot rally against Tommy Paul

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz set to meet again in group stage of Dav...

Does Steffi Graf ever age? Husband Andre Agassi has the perfect reply

'Never been friends, never been close to Roger Federer': Novak Djokovic s...Advertisement

Djokovic has made the quarterfinals in Paris 13 years in a row. He won the title in 2016 and last year, part of his collection of 20 Grand Slam trophies. Only one man has won more — Nadal, with 21.