Ashleigh Barty has powered into her maiden French Open quarter-final, further raising hopes of a first Australian singles triumph at Roland Garros in more than 40 years.
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Barty showed grit and poise on Monday to end the giant-killing run of unseeded American Sofia Kenin - the third-round slayer of Serena Williams - 6-3 3-6 6-0 in a fluctuating last-16 encounter.
Barty next plays Madison Keys, the American 14th seed, bidding to reach the last four in Paris for the second-straight year.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of his unparalleled second calendar-year grand slam, the great Rod Laver was fittingly front and centre at Court Philippe Chatrier as fellow Queenslander Barty dug deep to continue her stellar breakout season.
Barty overcame the disappointment of dropping her first set of the tournament to subdue her free-hitting but temperamental opponent in one-and-a-half-hours.
Provisionally set to climb into the world's top five after clinching an equal tour-best 28th victory of the year, Barty prevailed over the 35th-ranked Kenin with 11 aces and 25 winners.
In advancing to her second-successive grand slam quarter-final, eighth-seeded Barty closed to within three wins of becoming Australia's first French Open singles champion since Margaret Court in 1973.
"Australia is behind you @ashbar96 Queensland gold!," Laver tweeted.
"You can go all the way, no question. I'll be cheering hard. So proud. Rocket."
In matching her charge to the last eight at this year's Australian Open, Barty is also only the fourth Australian woman to make the quarter-finals at Roland Garros since the legendary Court's fifth title win 46 years ago.
But the 23-year-old had to show great character to follow in the footsteps of Wendy Turnbull (1979, 1980), Dianne Fromholtz (1979,1980) and Fed Cup teammate Samantha Stosur (2009, 2010, 2012, 2016).
AAP
