World No.1 Rafael Nadal has set up an intriguing quarter-final showdown with Dominic Thiem after snuffing out a comeback attempt by Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili at the US Open.
The top-seeded Spaniard looked like he would cruise to an easy win after pocketing the first two sets but the Georgian stepped up his game to take the third set.
The defending US Open champion would not be denied and fired his seventh ace on match point to end the three hour, 20-minute tussle 6-3 6-3 6-7 (6-8) 6-4.
"Two matches in the row that were very tough ones," Nadal, who had to battle back against Russian Karen Khachanov two days ago, said.
Nadal praised the 26-year-old Basilashvili, who will break into the top 30 for the first time when the next rankings are released after the tournament.
"He played fantastic. A lot of credit to him. He was playing great, hitting the ball very, very strong," he said.
"I'm very happy to be through."
His next assignment is a rematch of June's French Open final, in which he crushed Thiem in straight sets to win his 17th major.
The Austrian ninth seed booked his place in the last eight by eliminating last year's runner-up Kevin Anderson 7-5 6-2 7-6 (7-2)
Thiem neutralised 203cm Anderson's blistering serve by standing far beyond the baseline and he chased down everything the South African could throw at him.
He played a near flawless match, dropping just four points on his first serve and firing 42 winners.
"One of my best matches ever," Thiem said of his dazzling performance in an on-court interview, calling his quarter-final berth "a dream coming true".
John Isner had just defeated Milos Raonic 3-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-2 to clinch his first US Open quarter-final berth since 2011 when his thoughts flashed to someone who wasn't at the stadium to celebrate: his wife, Maddie.
She was home, expecting the couple's first child.
The 11th-seeded Isner hoped he had another big delivery up first - a US Open championship.
"Why not me?" Isner said.
With his booming serve leading the way, why not indeed?
Isner will play 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro next after the Argentine third seed pounded 18 forehand winners past Borna Coric in a 6-4 6-3 6-1 victory.
The Croatian needed a medical time out in the second set and was then blown away by Del Potro, who was lifted by the rowdy support of a group of his friends who have travelled from his hometown Tandil to cheer him on.
"They are crazy," he said.
"They have to go back to Argentina and work again after this tournament. I would like to keep them singing."
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