PARIS, June 2: Champion Albert Costa led a Latin charge into the quarterfinals of the French Open on Monday, dashing local hopes with a no-nonsense win over Arnaud Clement.

After three exhausting back-to-back five-set marathons, the ninth-seeded Spaniard saw off his French opponent 6-2 7-5 7-5 in three hours seven minutes.

It was a solid performance that vaulted Costa into the last eight — the fifth Spanish-speaker to reach the quarterfinals at this year’s tournament.

Earlier, on a rain-delayed day eight, third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero beat fellow Spaniard Felix Mantilla to advance, Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez ousted Finn Jarkko Nieminen and Guillermo Coria beat Mariano Zabaleta in an all-Argentine clash.

They joined former champion Carlos Moya of Spain, Andre Agassi and Dutchman Martin Verkerk, who reached the quarters on Sunday.

Spaniard Tommy Robredo faces Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in the final fourth round match later on Monday, ensuring a sixth Latin will advance.

Whether the sixth will be a Spanish or a Portuguese speaker depends on whether Robredo can repeat his heroics of the third round when he beat world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

Of the Spaniards, Costa had looked the most shaky entering the fourth round after his exhausting schedule and his poor form this year.

He kept number 32 seed Clement on the back foot throughout, though, to advance in straightforward fashion.

Costa faces a last-eight showdown with either Robredo or Kuerten. Ferrero thrashed Mantilla 6-2 6-1 6-1. Last year’s losing finalist, he spent only 100 minutes on court.

“I did not make any mistakes today,” he said. “It is not easy to play like this and I hope to play the rest of the tournament like this. It would be fantastic.

“Physically, I’m much better than last year. And it is very important to be fresh in the second week of the tournament.”

In the last eight, Ferrero will meet Gonzalez who beat Nieminen 6-3 6-3 6-2 in the first grand slam match between a Finn and a Chilean.

That clash will be a re-match of the 1998 boys’ singles final here, which Gonzalez won 4-6 6-4 6-3. The Chilean also beat Ferrero twice last year.

Later Spaniard Tommy Robredo ousted three-times French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten 6-4 1-6 7-6 6-4 on Monday to reach the quarterfinals.

Brazilian Kuerten, the 1997, 2000 and 2001 winner, saved four match points before bowing to the number 28 seed after two hours and 46 minutes.

Robredo, who beat world number one Lleyton Hewitt in the previous round, had never before made it to the last eight of a grand slam tournament.

Results:

Men

Tommy Robredo (Spain) bt Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-4; Albert Costa (Spain) bt Arnaud Clement (France) 6-2 7-5 7-5; Guillermo Coria (Argentina) bt Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) 6-4 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-7 (4-7) 6-3; Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) bt Felix Mantilla (Spain) 6-2 6-1 6-1; Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) bt Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) 6-3 6-3 6-2

Tuesday’s order of play

Centre Court (1000 GMT start)

Women’s singles quarterfinals Nadia Petrova (Russia) v 22-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) 1-Serena Williams (U.S.) v 5-Amelie Mauresmo (France)

Men’s singles quarterfinal 7-Guillermo Coria (Argentina) v 2-Andre Agassi (U.S.)

Court A (1000 GMT)

Women’s singles quarterfinals 24-Conchita Martinez (Spain) v 2-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) 4-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) v 8-Chanda Rubin (U.S.)

Men’s singles quarterfinal Martin Verkerk (Netherlands) v 4-Carlos Moya (Spain)—Reuters