PARIS — Rafa Nadal warmed up for a possible quarter-final blockbuster against world number one Novak Djokovic with a 6-3 6-1 5-7 6-2 triumph over American tyro Jack Sock on Monday.
The omens had looked rather foreboding for Sock even before he stepped on court for the fourth round encounter -- with his rival holding an 11-0 win-loss record against Americans on clay.
Sock's hopes of stalling that run looked all but over within the opening exchanges of the contest when he fell 3-0 behind to the nine-times champion.
The 22-year-old unexpectedly snatched the third set from Nadal but that only delayed the inevitable as the Spaniard became the first man to win a record 70 matches at Roland Garros when he fired down an unreturnable serve.