Rafael Nadal vs. Gael Monfils: Score and Reaction from 2017 Australian Open

Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2017 Australian Open as he beat an erratic Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the fourth round on Monday.

The Spanish former Melbourne champion will now face third seed Milos Raonic in the last eight as he continues his campaign to win a 15th career Grand Slam.

He dealt with world No. 6 Monfils in superb fashion, taking advantage of the Frenchman's early inconsistencies and then showing he still has the drive necessary to win major titles.

Monfils was not at his best in the opening exchanges. He was broken to go 2-0 down in his first service game of the match, double-faulting on break point after putting a routine forehand wide.

The sixth seed built into the set and pressured Nadal's serve more towards the end of the opener, but the early break proved to be decisive in handing the world No. 9 the early advantage.

Monfils got the crowd on his side with some of his trademark flamboyance, but it could not prevent him going a set down, and he was given a talking to at the break by umpire James Keothavong, per the Australian Open:

Nadal claimed an early break in the second set as well, but Monfils clawed his way back into contention when he broke back for 3-3, taking the second of three break points with an excellent return of serve.

However, no sooner had Monfils claimed a foothold in the encounter, he was broken again.

Two loose shots from the Frenchman and a wonderful inside-out forehand winner from Nadal saw the Spaniard win the seventh game of the second set to love.

Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

At 5-3 ahead, Rafa then carved out three set points, and he took the third after two big winners from Monfils.

Monfils avoided going behind early in the third set and intermittently produced some wonderful tennis as he looked to play his way back into the match—including a brilliant backhand winner down the line for 1-1.

It paid dividends when he unexpectedly earned two break points at 4-4 and took the first to serve for the set.

While Monfils eventually took the third set with some brilliant serving, he was forced to save four break points as Nadal looked to complete the job in three, per the New York Times' Ben Rothenberg:

All of a sudden, Monfils was in the ascendancy, and he broke for a 3-2 lead in the fourth after soaking up Nadal's power very effectively—he won a 32-shot rally with a brilliant passing winner. 

Nadal was not down for long, though, and after an excellent hold for 4-3—his best game in some time—he broke back, showing his immense power with a huge forehand winner to draw level. 

Another hold from Nadal saw Monfils forced to serve to stay in the match. At 30-40 down, he saved Nadal's first match point after some brutal hitting.

But a double-fault and missed backhand from Monfils eventually saw the Spaniard into the last eight in just under three hours.