Raonic, up two sets to one, lets match slip away against Carreno Busta
Plus, Wozniacki edged Kuznetsova in three sets and Gasquet retire
On a day when defending French Open champion Garbine Muguruza was knocked off by red-hot Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic, another major upset fell a bit under the radar.
Fifth-seeded Milos Raonic let one slip away on Sunday, falling to 20th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta.
The Canadian took two of the first three sets, but the Spaniard found a way to steal the final two to complete a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-4, 8-6 triumph that lasted 4 hours and 17 minutes. With the win, Carreno Busta is into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Raonic wouldn’t go away in the final set. He saved six match points, three when trailing 5-4 and three more when trailing 7-6. The Spaniard finally shut the door with a forehand volley at the net that Raonic couldn’t get to.
Carreno Busta’s reward for his magnificent effort? A date with Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. Nadal, a nine-time champion at Roland Garros, annihilated Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, to reach his record-tying 11th quarterfinal in Paris.
In other action on Day 8, Caroline Wozniacki edged 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
Also, in a battle of Frenchman, Richard Gasquet was forced to retire with a leg injury against Gael Monfils in the third set after they split the first two.
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