Spain's Rafael Nadal [Images] silenced a partisan crowd with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 defeat of French number one Sebastien Grosjean on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open.

The crowd had halted play for nine minutes early in the second set on Sunday, booing and jeering over a controversial line call and getting louder every time the Spaniard tried to resume playing.

"The crowd yesterday didn't really behave as you should when you're watching a match of tennis," Nadal said.

"I've never seen anything like that in Spain, but this is France [Images]."

Both players had won a set and Nadal was leading 3-0 in the third when rain interrupted the contest on Sunday. The 18-year-old has collected five titles this year and has now extended his winning streak on clay to 21 matches.

The gifted left-hander, trying to become the first man to win Roland Garros on debut since Swede Mats Wilander in 1982, meets compatriot David Ferrer for a place in the semi-finals.

Ferrer overcome holder Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 2-6, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4.

The French fans behaved on Monday and witnessed more great tennis from the Spanish prodigy who won the first three games to wrap up the third set.

The fourth set featured thrilling rallies and was tight until Grosjean dropped serve by netting a backhand in the eighth game. Nadal served for the match and Grosjean bowed out by hitting a backhand wide on the second match point.

The Spaniard said the crowd incident had affected his concentration and he lost a set for the first time in the tournament.

"When you're in a difficult situation, there are lessons to be learned," he said.

"I'm happy because, first, I was playing well. I felt a little bit nervous after and I made a few errors, then there was the break (in the second set). After that, things went smoothly."

Nadal was delighted to learn that John McEnroe [Images] had described him as the most impressive player he had seen since the young Boris Becker [Images].

"When such an important player, the best player ever, says something like that, obviously it's important to me," he said.

"But I know who I am, whatever people say. I know that I'm where I am because I've been putting a lot of hours into tennis and that I've been improving on a daily basis.

"I know that's what I've got to continue doing."

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