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Andy Murray

PARIS. — Roger Federer and Andy Murray swept into the French Open tennis quarter-finals yesterday.

Second seed Federer, the 2009 champion, made the last eight for the 11th time with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over France’s Gael Monfils and goes on to face Davis Cup-winning teammate Stan Wawrinka.

British third seed Murray ended the hopes of another home player, seeing off unseeded Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

He will next take on seventh-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer.

In the women’s section, top seed Serena Williams of the United States beat compatriot Sloane Stephens in three sets to win through to the quarter-finals of the French Open yesterday.

Just as in each of the previous two rounds, Williams lost the opening set before recovering to win the last-16 encounter 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 and set up a meeting with Italy’s 17th seed Sara Errani for a place in the semi-finals.

Defending champion Maria Sharapova was sent packing from the French Open at the fourth-round stage yesterday, losing in straight sets to Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.

Safarova, the 13th seed, won 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 to progress to a first ever quarter-final at Roland Garros, where she will face Garbine Muguruza after the Spaniard saw off Flavia Pennetta.

Sharapova, who also won the clay-court Grand Slam event in 2012 and was the beaten finalist in 2013, had been forced to wait until Monday morning for her clash with Safarova, which had been postponed on Sunday due to the rain in the French capital.

But on a bright Paris morning the Russian second seed, who was looking to become the first woman to successfully defend the French Open title since Justine Henin in 2007, was punished for an erratic display from beginning to end.

Federer raced through the final two sets yesterday in just over an hour after the last-16 tie was delicately poised at a set apiece when it was suspended in the chilly gloom of Sunday evening.

“I feel fresh and pumped up to be back in the quarter-finals again after missing out last year,” said Federer, who was beaten by Ernests Gulbis in the last 16 in 2014.

Monfils, a semi-finalist in 2008, was nowhere near his swashbuckling best on Monday, slipping to a break down in the first game of both sets.

At 2-1 down in the fourth, he needed the trainer to be called although the Frenchman’s problems appeared more related to the cold from which he was suffering rather than any physical problem.

He lost the last five games of the contest and although he saved a match point with a trademark cute drop volley, an equally characteristic wild forehand sealed his fate. Monfils blamed a fever for his erratic performance.

“It was tough because I’m sick. On the eve of the match I was not at my best. I had a bad night and woke up repeatedly. I didn’t have any fever this morning, but my body was sluggish,” said the 28-year-old Frenchman.

Federer will take a 16-2 career advantage over Wawrinka into today’s quarter-final, including a win on clay in Rome earlier this month.

“It’s special to play Stan, there aren’t many Swiss players in the draw,” said Federer. “I’m quite positive about my chances.”

Murray, twice a semi-finalist in Paris, will face 2013 runner-up Ferrer for a place in the last four although Chardy, the world number 45, gave him plenty to think about on a rocking Court Suzanne Lenglen.

However, the Frenchman’s temperament let him down at the wrong times as he was broken three times in the fourth set.

Chardy committed 10 double faults and 56 unforced errors. — AFP.