Ernests Gulbis has condemned Roger Federer to his worst French Open defeat in a decade while Milos Raonic became just the fourth Canadian man to reach the last eight of a major.
Gulbis, the controversial Latvian, beat the fourth seeded 2009 champion 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/3) 6-2 4-6 6-3 on Sunday as Federer, 32, suffered his earliest loss in Paris since 2004 when he was demolished in the third round by Gustavo Kuerten.
Victory would have put Federer into a record 42nd Grand Slam quarter-final and 10th in a row in Paris, but 25-year-old Gulbis showed no fear as he set up a last-eight clash against Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych.
He unleashed 13 aces and 53 winners with Federer undone by an uncharacteristic 59 unforced errors as he lost a five-setter in Paris for the first time.
“It was a tough match and I’m sorry as I know that most of you wanted Roger to win,” said Gulbis, whose only other Grand Slam quarter-final appearance came in Paris in 2008.
Berdych made the quarter-finals for the second time with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over 10th seed John Isner who was bidding to become the first American to reach the last eight since Andre Agassi in 2003.
“There were quick breaks in each of the sets. That’s something which really helps through all the match, especially with a guy like John,” 2010 semi-finalist Berdych said.
Raonic became just the fourth Canadian man in history – and first in the Open Era – to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final when he defeated Spain’s Marcel Granollers 6-3 6-3 6-3.
Eighth-seeded Raonic, 23, fired 53 winners and goes on to face either world number two Novak Djokovic or French 13th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a place in the semi-finals.
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray battled to a four-hour 3-6 6-3 6-3 4-6 12-10 win over Philipp Kohlschreiber to reach the fourth round.
The British seventh seed, who next faces Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco, had been level at 7-7 with the German 28th seed when the match was halted on Saturday night.
The 30-year-old Verdasco, seeded 24, reached the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 win over France’s 12th seed Richard Gasquet in another third round tie held over from Saturday.
