Nicolas Almagro into last eight at French Open

Nicolas Almagro of Spain reached the French Open quarter-finals on Monday with a dominant 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia.

The 12th seed will play either second seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain or Juan Monaco of Argentina for a place in the semi-finals.

The 26-year-old Almagro had reached the French Open quarter-finals twice before in 2008 and 2010, losing to Nadal in both instances, but was knocked out in the first round last year.

Any memories of his dismal 2011 campaign were forgotten as Almagro fired off four aces - out of nine in the entire match - against Tipsarevic to clinch the first set, and he never looked back.

In the second set, the Spaniard successfully set up break point in the seventh game to nose ahead 4-3 with a lucky forehand return that barely made it over the net and wrong-footed the Serb.

Almagro, who was on a seven-match winning streak going into the match including victories at Sao Paulo and Nice, finished off the set with another ace down the middle.

In the third set, Almagro got his first break early when he forced Tipsarevic into net errors in the first game, but he was broken in the next when he double-faulted.

Tipsarevic managed to hold in the third game despite notching his fifth double fault but the Spaniard's answer was another ace to level the match 2-2.

Almagro broke Tipsarevic again in the fifth game with a vicious backhand return that forced the Serb to return wide - and his fate was sealed.

Serving for the match, Almagro punctuated his victory with a cross-court forehand winner to an open court that Tipsarevic did not even bother to chase.