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Paris - World number one Novak Djokovic said he was happy to "cruise along" at Roland Garros after another straightforward win saw him into a record 10th successive French Open quarter-final on Monday.
The 32-year-old Serbian was in irrepressible form as he romped to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 fourth-round win over Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff to set up a quarter-final against either Italian Fabio Fognini or fifth seed Alexander Zverev.
Djokovic is the first man to make the last eight in Paris for 10 successive seasons. It's his 13th appearance in the quarter-finals overall.
None of his opponents have even managed to take more than four games from the 15-time Grand Slam champion in a set so far this year at Roland Garros.
"I don't mind cruising along, to be honest," said Djokovic.
"I have plenty of experience, I think, dealing with situations where you're facing break points or where it's tense. I have played plenty of tight matches in my career that I can rely on that experience.
"I think it's good to be tested, from that perspective, but at the same time, it's also good to cruise along and kind of conserve the energy for what's coming up."
Tougher tests lie ahead for Djokovic, with either last year's runner-up Dominic Thiem, Russian 10th seed Karen Khachanov or two-time semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro awaiting him in the last four should he win his quarter-final.
But he is in confident mood as he attempts to become only the second man in history to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously twice.
"I reached the quarter-finals and played as closest to my best tennis on clay as I think I can be at the moment," said Djokovic.
"I'm really pleased with every aspect of my game. So everything is coming together beautifully."
Only Australian great Rod Laver has held all four majors at the same time twice before, after his calendar Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969.
But top seed Djokovic, who first held all four when he won his maiden Roland Garros title three years ago, is looking to follow in Laver's footsteps after adding the Australian Open trophy earlier this year to his 2018 Wimbledon and US Open titles.
He powered 31 winners past world number 45 Struff on Court Philippe Chatrier and made only 12 unforced errors.
He broke serve five times in the match and did not face a break point until stumbling slightly when serving for victory.
Djokovic saved that, though, as Struff netted, and he booked a quarter-final spot on his first match point.
Results from the ninth day of the French Open on Monday (x denotes seeding):
Men
4th round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-3, 6-2, 6-2
Alexander Zverev (GER x5) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x9) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5)
Dominic Thiem (AUT x4) bt Gael Monfils (FRA x14) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
Karen Khachanov (RUS x10) bt Juan Martín Del Potro (ARG x8) 7-5, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Kei Nishikori (JPN x7) bt Benoît Paire (FRA) 6-2, 6-7 (8/10), 6-2, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5
Women
4th round
Madison Keys (USA x14) bt Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-2, 6-4
Ashleigh Barty (AUS x8) bt Sofia Kenin (USA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Iga Swiatek (POL) 6-1, 6-0
Amanda Anisimova (USA) bt Aliona Bolsova (ESP) 6-3, 6-0
