Rafael Nadal's four-year Roland Garros reign came to a sensational end at the hands of feuding rival Robin Soderling on Sunday as the race for the 2009 title was thrown wide open.

Nadal, bidding for a record fifth successive French Open crown, slumped to his first ever defeat at the tournament after winning all of his 31 matches since his 2005 debut.

His 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) fourth round loss was made harder to swallow as it came against a man he described as one of the most unpopular in the locker room after an acrimonious Wimbledon clash in 2007.

"It's not a tragedy, I had to lose one day. I must accept my defeats with the same level of calm that I accept my victories," said Nadal, who had routed Soderling 6-1, 6-0 at the Rome Masters just a month ago.

"He didn't surprise me because I know how he plays and how dangerous he can be. I didn't play my best. I played very short and I couldn't attack. I made it easy for him."

Soderling, whose win meant that compatriot Bjorn Borg kept level on four successive wins with Nadal, said he always thought he could prevail.

"It's the biggest challenge to play the best claycourt player in history," said the 24-year-old.

"But I had to believe I had a chance or I may as well go home. If he thinks that he made it easy for me then that's his choice. I would never say anything like that."

Soderling, who has battled back from a serious wrist injury, sent down a massive 61 winners to Nadal's 33 as the champion, looking jaded after another marathon claycourt season, struggled to get any meaningful foothold in the tie.

Nadal's first set loss was the first time he had dropped a set in the tournament since the 2007 final against Roger Federer, ending a run of 32 in a row.

The Spaniard was reeling from the outset as the 23rd seeded Soderling unleashed a brutal power game based on big serving and pinpoint accuracy with one of the event's most devastating forehands.

Soderling will now face Russian 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko, twice a semifinalist, who completed Spain's miserable day with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over eighth seed Fernando Verdasco.

Third seed Andy Murray reached his first French Open quarterfinal with a convincing 7-5, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Croatia's Marin Cilic.

The ever-improving 22-year-old Murray looked in impressive physical condition with a series of long, punishing rallies eventually telling on the 13th seeded Cilic, the youngest man left in the draw.

"I'm playing well." said Murray, only the third British man to make the last eight here in the Open era.

"You don't reach the French Open quarterfinals without playing well.

"I've had a good claycourt season. I reached the quarters in Monte Carlo and Madrid and now the last eight here. It's better than previous years but I will try to keep on improving."

Murray next meets Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez who revealed how an injury signing autographs almost shattered his French Open campaign.

The 28-year-old, who outgunned Romania's Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the third time, injured his ankle while signing photos and tennis balls for fans at the Rome Masters in April.

As a result, he spent a month on the sidelines.

"I was signing autographs and someone called me from the other side of the court and when I ran over to them, I twisted my ankle," said Gonzalez.

"I think I only managed to sign two and then I had to go back to the locker room because my ankle was so painful."

AFP

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