French Open: A field day for Spanish trio

The trio of Spaniards -- Rafa Nadal, David Ferrer and Nicolas Almagro -- showed why the nation has ruled Roland Garros for most of the last decade.

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Almagro booked a quarter-final date with the man he calls 'the Boss' after Nadal moved ominously closer to a record seventh title.

The champion offered his shell-shocked friend Juan Monaco a sympathetic pat on the back following the 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 annihilation but having lost just 19 games in total in four matches, he is once again looking an unstoppable force.

"I feel very, very sorry for him. I shouldn't have this type of score against one of the best players in the world," a straight-faced Nadal said after winning 17 games on the trot.

Ferrer was deafened but not stirred as he silenced grunting compatriot Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-2, 6-0, while Almagro booked his place in the last eight following a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over bearded Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

"He's the man on clay, and we are trying to be close to him. We are working hard to do our best," Almagro said about Nadal.

Ferrer, who could run into Nadal in the semi-finals, added: "Rafael has won... I don't know how many grand slams he won. He's a star. Me, I never won nothing very important."

While Nadal has triumphed here in six of the last seven years, fellow Spaniards Albert Costa and Juan Carlos Ferrero held aloft the Musketeers Cup in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

Three of the four quarter-final spots in the bottom half of the draw have been filled by Spaniards, with British fourth seed Andy Murray completing the line-up after ending the hopes of flamboyant Frenchman Richard Gasquet.