<p>Andy Murray downed longtime rival Juan Martin del Potro to reach the Roland Garros last 16 round on Saturday while French hopes were overshadowed by a bitter feud between two of their top stars.<br /><br />World number one Murray triumphed 7-6 (10/8), 7-5, 6-0 for his seventh win in 10 meetings with Del Potro whose challenge fizzled out after squandering four set points in the 87-minute opener.<br /><br />Murray, the runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2016, will next face either John Isner of the United States or Russia's Karen Khachanov.<br /><br />"I expected a very tough match. Whoever won that first set would have the momemtum as it would have been very difficult to come back in these heavy, slow conditions," said Murray.<br /><br />Third seed Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 hampion, strode into the last 16 with a straight-sets win over Italy's Fabio Fognini.<br /><br />The Swiss saved four set points as Fognini twice served for the opening set, with the volatile 28th seed then capitulating and Wawrinka powering to a 7-6 (7/2), 6-0, 6-2 victory.<br /><br />Wawrinka will meet the lone remaining Frenchman for a place in the quarterfinal, facing either 15th seed Gael Monfils or 24th-seeded Richard Gasquet.<br /><br />However, rain caused early stoppage of play. <br /><br />Japan’s Kei Nishikori was leading 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 0-3 when the skies opened up.<br /><br />Earlier, in a titanic first set, Del Potro wasted four set points then saved two before Murray pounced for the opener when the Argentine star narrowly miscued.<br /><br />The 28-year-old slumped over the net and stayed bent over during most of the changeover to catch his breath.<br /><br />Del Potro was quickly a break down in the second set. He retrieved it when Murray served for the set in the 10th game before handing the advantage straight back.<br /><br />Murray seized his lifeline, a fourth ace giving him a two-set lead.<br /><br />Weary Del Potro, who had already summoned the doctor early in the second set, knew his challenge was over and he managed just 11 points in the third set.<br /><br />Former US Open champion Marin Cilic continued his smooth progress seeing off Feliciano Lopez, who was limited by a neck injury, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.<br /><br />Croatian seventh seed Cilic will next meet South Africa's Kevin Anderson who beat Britain's Kyle Edmund 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in just under four hours.<br /><br />In the women's event, France have three women in the last 16 for the first time in 23 years. However, that success is overshadowed by a bitter feud between compatriots Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia who will clash for a place in the quarterfinals.<br /><br />Cornet reached the pre-quarterfinals for just the second time with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska. Garcia, seeded 28, made the fourth round of a Slam for the first time with a 6-4, 4-6, 9-7 win over Taiwan's world number 109 Hsieh Su-Wei.<br /><br />However, Cornet admitted that her relationship with Garcia has virtually broken down. "I think that the relationship is not very good," said 27-year-old Cornet.<br /><br />Romanian third seed and 2014 runner-up Simona Halep sealed her place in the fourth round with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Russia's Daria Kasatkina.<br /><br />Halep will face Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the quarterfinals. Suarez Navarro eased past Russian 14th seed Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-4.</p>
<p>Andy Murray downed longtime rival Juan Martin del Potro to reach the Roland Garros last 16 round on Saturday while French hopes were overshadowed by a bitter feud between two of their top stars.<br /><br />World number one Murray triumphed 7-6 (10/8), 7-5, 6-0 for his seventh win in 10 meetings with Del Potro whose challenge fizzled out after squandering four set points in the 87-minute opener.<br /><br />Murray, the runner-up to Novak Djokovic in 2016, will next face either John Isner of the United States or Russia's Karen Khachanov.<br /><br />"I expected a very tough match. Whoever won that first set would have the momemtum as it would have been very difficult to come back in these heavy, slow conditions," said Murray.<br /><br />Third seed Stan Wawrinka, the 2015 hampion, strode into the last 16 with a straight-sets win over Italy's Fabio Fognini.<br /><br />The Swiss saved four set points as Fognini twice served for the opening set, with the volatile 28th seed then capitulating and Wawrinka powering to a 7-6 (7/2), 6-0, 6-2 victory.<br /><br />Wawrinka will meet the lone remaining Frenchman for a place in the quarterfinal, facing either 15th seed Gael Monfils or 24th-seeded Richard Gasquet.<br /><br />However, rain caused early stoppage of play. <br /><br />Japan’s Kei Nishikori was leading 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 0-3 when the skies opened up.<br /><br />Earlier, in a titanic first set, Del Potro wasted four set points then saved two before Murray pounced for the opener when the Argentine star narrowly miscued.<br /><br />The 28-year-old slumped over the net and stayed bent over during most of the changeover to catch his breath.<br /><br />Del Potro was quickly a break down in the second set. He retrieved it when Murray served for the set in the 10th game before handing the advantage straight back.<br /><br />Murray seized his lifeline, a fourth ace giving him a two-set lead.<br /><br />Weary Del Potro, who had already summoned the doctor early in the second set, knew his challenge was over and he managed just 11 points in the third set.<br /><br />Former US Open champion Marin Cilic continued his smooth progress seeing off Feliciano Lopez, who was limited by a neck injury, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.<br /><br />Croatian seventh seed Cilic will next meet South Africa's Kevin Anderson who beat Britain's Kyle Edmund 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4 in just under four hours.<br /><br />In the women's event, France have three women in the last 16 for the first time in 23 years. However, that success is overshadowed by a bitter feud between compatriots Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia who will clash for a place in the quarterfinals.<br /><br />Cornet reached the pre-quarterfinals for just the second time with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska. Garcia, seeded 28, made the fourth round of a Slam for the first time with a 6-4, 4-6, 9-7 win over Taiwan's world number 109 Hsieh Su-Wei.<br /><br />However, Cornet admitted that her relationship with Garcia has virtually broken down. "I think that the relationship is not very good," said 27-year-old Cornet.<br /><br />Romanian third seed and 2014 runner-up Simona Halep sealed her place in the fourth round with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Russia's Daria Kasatkina.<br /><br />Halep will face Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro for a place in the quarterfinals. Suarez Navarro eased past Russian 14th seed Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-4.</p>