Australian Open 2017: Results, Highlights, Monday Scores Recap from Melbourne

Rafael Nadal survived a spirited rally from Gael Monfils to beat the Frenchman 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the fourth round of the 2017 Australian Open on Monday.

The Spaniard looked to be cruising to victory at two sets up, but he was forced to regain the initiative from Monfils after the No. 6 seed upped his game in the third and fourth sets.

In the women's draw, Johanna Konta impressed as she beat Ekaterina Makarova 6-1, 6-4, and she will now face Serena Williams in the quarter-finals after the world No. 2 downed Czech Barbora Strycova on Monday. 

Here are the full results from the day's action in Melbourne, Australia, which also saw No. 3 seed Milos Raonic advance at the expense of Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Men's Singles	Score
(11) David Goffin bt. (8) Dominic Thiem	5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2, 6-2
(6) Gael Monfils vs. (9) Rafael Nadal	6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
(15) Grigor Dimitrov bt. Denis Istomin	2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-1
(3) Milos Raonic bt. (13) Roberto Bautista Agut	7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
Women's Singles
(2) Serena Williams bt. (16) Barbora Strycova	7-5, 6-4
(5) Karolina Pliskova bt. (22) Daria Gavrilova	6-3, 6-3
(9) Johanna Konta bt. (30) Ekaterina Makarova	6-1, 6-4
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni bt. Jennifer Brady	6-4, 6-2

Monday Recap 

Monfils gave up breaks early in both the first and second sets against Nadal to make his task of reaching only a second Australian Open quarter-final all the harder.

In the second set, he managed to break back to 3-3, but he immediately went behind again in the next game after some loose serving and Nadal brilliance.

With Monfils in such erratic form, it seemed Nadal would prevail with ease. But the 14-time Grand Slam winner was surprisingly broken at 4-4 in the third, and Monfils eventually served out to pull a set back.

The French player looked re-energised, and he got his nose in front with the first break of the fourth set after going toe-to-toe with Nadal from the baseline, per BBC 5 live Sport:

However, there was to be no five-set epic as Nadal went up a gear and showed immense power and steel to reverse the momentum and claim victory in just under three hours.

Williams' victory against 16th seed Strycova was far from emphatic as she failed to find any rhythm on her serve, which was broken four times in the match.

However, the 35-year-old showed her continuing excellence in all facets of the game by finding a different way to win, responding every time with her own break when she looked to be on the back foot.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Despite Serena's struggles, she has still yet to drop a set in Melbourne and, with defending champion and world No. 1 Angelique Kerber out of the running, is firm favourite to go all the way.

Konta will present Williams with a signficant challenge as she has arguably been the most impressive player in the women's draw so far this tournament—she has also not dropped a set.

Fresh from winning in Sydney before the Australian Open, the British player is clearly full of confidence.

She eased past former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the third round and caused Makarova all kinds of problems again on Monday with her power hitting, per tennis commentator David Law:

At 4-1 down in the second set of her fourth round clash, it looked as though Konta may be forced into a decider, but the ninth seed reeled off five games in a row to set up a fascinating clash with Williams.