Rogers Cup 2019, Quarterfinal Preview: Nadal seeks revenge against Fognini, Zverev faces Khachanov in battle of young guns

The sixth Masters 1000 tournament of the ATP calendar, the 2019 Coupe Rogers in Montreal, has reached the last eight stage.

In a strong testament of the rude health of the men's game, six of the top eight seeds (five top ten players) led by top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal have reached the quarterfinals.

Nadal's third-round triumph over Guido Pella gave the Spaniard the outright lead for most Masters 1000 match wins (379), breaking a tie with Federer. In the quarterfinals, Nadal would look to avenge a Monte Carlo exit against Italian Fabio Fognini.

Roberto Bautista Agut is the second Spaniard in the Montreal quarterfinals, having beaten Richard Gasquet in the third round to book a last-eight clash with another Frenchman, Gael Monfils. A win for Bautista Agut will put the Spaniard in contention for a top ten debut next week.

In the bottom half of the draw, second seed Dominic Thiem, fresh off a first title at his hometown Kitzbuhel, but winless in five editions of the Coupe Rogers, registered two wins on the trot to move into the last eight where he'll be up against Washington finalist Daniil Medvedev.

Completing the last eight draw in Montreal is third seed Alexander Zverev who will take on Karen Khachanov in a battle of the young guns.

Of the eight players left in the competition, Nadal (2005, 2008, 2013, 2018) and Zverev (2017) are the only former champions.

Nadal (34) and Zverev (2) are also the only multiple Masters 1000 champions left in the draw. Khachanov, Thiem and Fognini have a lone Masters 1000 title apiece.

Monfils and Bautista Agut have reached a Masters 1000 final thrice and once respectively while Medvedev has never reached the title round of a Masters 1000 event.

Here's looking at each of the four quarterfinals in further detail.

Quarterfinal #1: (1) Rafael Nadal vs (7) Fabio Fognini

Nadal celebrates his 3rd round win over Pella

In the Montreal third round, Nadal conquered fellow lefty Guido Pella of Argentina to move within three wins of a first successful hard-court title defence. The Spaniard, playing his first tournament following a Wimbledon semifinal loss to Federer, looked rusty at times but completed his second straight-set win in the tournament to romp into the last eight.

Nadal needs to reach the Montreal final to stay world no. 2, but in his way lies the unpredictable Fognini who conquered the Spaniard in the Monte Carlo semifinals earlier in the season en route to a first career Masters 1000 title.

In the pair's only other meeting in North America, Fognini had a memorable third-round win at the 2015 US Open over the Spaniard, clawing back a two-set deficit to hand Nadal his earliest exit in 14 years at the last Grand Slam tournament of the year.

Fognini is all smiles after reaching the 2019 Montreal quarterfinals

Trailing 4-11 in his head to head against Nadal, can Fognini inflict consecutive defeats on the Spaniard and go on to win a 2nd Masters 1000 singles title?

Quarterfinal #2: (10) Roberto Bautista Agut vs (16) Gael Monfils

Bautista Agut serves to Gasquet during his 3rd round win over the Frenchman

Fresh off a first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, Roberto Bautista Agut conquered comeback man Richard Gasquet in the third round to move into the Montreal quarterfinals, where another Frenchman, Gael Monfils, awaits the Spaniard.

A run to the Montreal last four would put Bautista Agut in contention for a top ten debut in the ATP rankings on Monday, but Monfils, who has a 3-1 head to head lead against the Spaniard, might have other ideas.

Monfils outguns young gun Hurkacz to reach the last eight in Montreal

Monfils won his ninth career singles title in Rotterdam earlier this year.

In a Montreal field depleted by the absence of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, this could be the Frenchman's best chance to win a big title (Grand Slam / ATP Finals / Masters 1000).

Quarterfinal #3: (3) Alexander Zverev vs (6) Karen Khachanov

2017 Coupe Rogers champion Sascha Zverev is back in the Montreal quarters

One of only two former Coupe Rogers champions left in the draw, Sascha Zverev, the 2017 winner, had the toughest test of his title credentials in the third round, eventually prevailing over Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili in a pulsating deciding set tiebreak.

The young German, a fixture in the top ten for two consecutive years, has had an underwhelming 2019 season, failing to reach the final of a tournament till a title triumph in Geneva just before the French Open.

In the quarterfinal battle of the young guns, he will have his task cut out against fellow top ten player, Karen Khachanov.

Khachanov beats hometown birthday boy Auger-Aliassime to reach the last 8 in Montreal

The Russian, who made his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open, is yet to reach a tournament final this season.

In windy conditions, Khachanov provided an ample display of his grit and determination in an 'ugly win' over birthday boy Felix Auger Aliassime in the third round.

Khachanov will be looking to level his burgeoning rivalry with Zverev at 2 wins apiece and reignite his season with a second Masters 1000 title.

Quarterfinal #4: (2) Dominic Thiem vs (8) Daniil Medvedev

Thiem is euphoric after reaching his first Coupe Rogers quarterfinals

Dominic Thiem, two time French Open finalist, beat Roger Federer in three sets to win his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells earlier in the season.

Fresh off a third title of the season and first at his hometown of Kitzbuhel, Thiem registered his first match win at the Coupe Rogers in six attempts, downing home hope Denis Shapovalov in a feisty three-set encounter.

The Austrian followed up the win with a straight-set victory over Marin Cilic. In a third-round victory which was anything but straight forward, Thiem stood tough on all nine break points against his serve which was to prove significant in the eventual scheme of things against the big-serving Croatian.

It will be the newest top ten entrant, Daniil Medvedev, up next for Thiem, as he seeks a place in the last four.

Medvedev in third-round action at 2019 Montreal

The fast-improving Medvedev has had a strong 2019 season, winning his fourth title in Sofia and coming up second best in Brisbane, Barcelona and Washington DC. A run to the third round at Wimbledon propelled the young Russian to the top ten.

Will Medvedev be able to register his 1st win over Thiem in three attempts and stop the Austrian from reaching a third Masters 1000 semifinal of the season?

Over to Quarterfinal Friday in Montreal. Let the action begin!