Paris: Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the French Open last-16 on Saturday with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 win over Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

Gael Monfils came through another punishing battle with Italian Fabio Fognini, winning 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 after looking to be on the point of abandoning at one point at the end of the fourth set.