PARIS: Defending champion Maria Sharapova was sent packing from the French Open at the fourth-round stage on Monday, but top seed Serena Williams survived a scare to seal her quarterfinal place.

Sharapova, seeded two, was beaten in straight sets 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 by Lucie Safarova, the 13th seed from the Czech Republic who will now meet Garbine Muguruza of Spain in the last eight.

Williams, meanwhile, lost the first set against compatriot Sloane Stephens on the same Court Philippe Chatrier but came back to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 and set up a quarterfinal clash with Sara Errani of Italy.

Sharapova, who also won the clay-court Grand Slam event in 2012 and was the beaten finalist in 2013, had been forced to wait until Monday morning for her clash with Safarova, which had been postponed on Sunday due to rain in the French capital.

Errani, the Italian 17th seed who was the beaten finalist at Roland Garros in 2012, lies in wait for Serena after she beat unseeded German Julia Goerges 6-2, 6-2.

Spanish 21st seed Muguruza, meanwhile, won through to the quarter-finals for the second year running by beating Italy’s 28th seed Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Twelve months ago Muguruza was knocked out in three sets by Sharapova having defeated Serena Williams in the second round.

Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck is through to a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time after beating fellow unseeded player, Romanian Andreea Mitu, 6-1, 6-3.

The 21-year-old, ranked 93 in the world, becomes the first Belgian to reach the quarters at Roland Garros since Henin in 2007.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will clash in quarterfinal blockbuster in one of the sport’s most-eagerly awaited clashes of recent times.

World No.1 and top seed Djokovic eased into the last eight on Monday with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over France’s Richard Gasquet.

Defending champion Nadal, seeking a 10th Roland Garros crown, saw off unseeded American Jack Sock, 6-3, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.

It was Nadal’s 70th career win at the French Open against just one defeat and his 39th in a row at the tournament he has dominated for a decade.

“It’s the biggest challenge I can have on clay,” said Djokovic who needs a French Open title to complete the career Grand Slam.

“He’s lost just once here in his career.”

On facing Djokovic, sixth-seed Nadal said: “I will have to play my best tennis.

“He’s the world No.1 and is having a great season. It’ll be a complicated match.”

Nadal has beaten Djokovic in the 2012 and 2014 finals in Paris as well as the 2013 semifinals and holds a career 23-20 edge in head-to-head meetings.

Roger Federer and Andy Murray swept into the quarterfinals Monday. Second seed Federer, the 2009 champion, made the last eight for the 11th time with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over France’s Gael Monfils and goes on to face Davis Cup-winning teammate Stan Wawrinka.

British third seed Murray ended the hopes of another home player, seeing off unseeded Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

He will next take on seventh-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer.

Federer raced through the final two sets on Monday in just over an hour after the last-16 tie was delicately poised at a set apiece when it was suspended in the chilly gloom of Sunday evening.

“I feel fresh and pumped up to be back in the quarter-finals again after missing out last year,” said Federer, who was beaten by Ernests Gulbis in the last 16 in 2014.