Andy Murray produced arguably his best performance of the year to defeat Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the French Open.
The world number one has been searching for top form all season and finally found something close to it on a cool, grey day at Roland Garros.
Murray saved four set points to win a titanic opener lasting 84 minutes and was in control thereafter to win 7-6 (10/8) 7-5 6-0.
The one significant asterisk was the fitness of Del Potro, who went into the match with a groin injury and struggled more and more as it progressed.
But Murray will have reason to feel he can be a factor at the end of this tournament after this performance, with the 30-year-old also much calmer on court.
This was a brutal third-round draw. Although Murray was keen to talk up his performance in his second-round win over Martin Klizan, he surely knew he would have to significantly raise his level to stand a chance against Del Potro.
Murray and Del Potro met in two classic encounters last year. The Scot got the better of his rival to win Olympic gold before losing a five-hour marathon in the Davis Cup semi-finals.
Del Potro is still working his way back to his rightful ranking after the wrist problems that almost ended his career, and the big question was how he would pull up physically.
The Argentinian looked in trouble on Thursday before opponent Nicolas Almagro tearfully retired having aggravated a knee problem.
Del Potro's sporting reaction to an opponent in distress may have gone some way to explaining why the crowd were so much behind the Argentinian here, even cheering Murray double faults.
Del Potro's mighty forehand has survived his wrist troubles and he used it to great effect to open up a 5-3 lead in the first set.
But Murray looked much more like his old self, using the drop shot particularly well and finding the sort of penetration through the court that has been such an issue in 2017.
He saved a set point at 4-5 and then another in a memorable 10th game, missing a sitter forehand before finally breaking back.
The tie-break was a mini-match in itself, with Murray opening up a 6-4 lead, missing both set points then facing another after Del Potro pulled off a miracle forehand winner off a Murray pass.
But a double fault from the Argentinian made it 7-7 and it was Murray who took his third set point when Del Potro's forehand landed just wide.
He called for umpire Carlos Bernardes to check and stood for a good minute leaning on the net with head in hands after Bernardes admitted he could not see the mark and stuck with the line judge's call.
HawkEye - used by TV companies but not the tournament - showed that the officials were right, and Del Potro's angst surely mostly stemmed from the knowledge that with that set went his chances.
Murray broke immediately at the start of the second set but missed the chance to lead 3-0 and Del Potro, who called the doctor on court for some painkillers, stalled the Scot's progress by recovering to 5-5.
Del Potro's refusal to go away was a defining feature of their Olympic final, but this time the Argentinian's resistance proved to be fleeting.
Murray broke serve again immediately and, with Del Potro flagging, raced through the fourth set to set up a last-16 clash against either John Isner or young Russian Karen Khachanov.
🙈 Régalez-vous avec les meilleurs moments du match entre Stan Wawrinka et Fabio Fognini #RG17 pic.twitter.com/Dwyh7Czzkt
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2017
Stan Wawrinka celebrated a "perfect week" at Roland Garros after defeating Fabio Fognini.
It looked a tricky match on paper for the 2015 champion but he recovered from a break down in the opening set to win 7-6 (7/2) 6-0 6-2.
Wawrinka has struggled for form since nearly beating Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the Australian Open but is once again showing that he saves his best for the grand slams.
In his last 14 slams, he has won three titles, reached the last four on five other occasions and only lost before the quarter-finals three times.
He said: "It's a perfect week in every respect. I've played well, I'm confident. I won three matches in three sets, against difficult players.
"I am delighted. I could not have done better, I think, in the first week, and that's just the beginning of the tournament."
Fognini, one of the most talented but unpredictable players on tour, might have led 5-2 in the opening set but lost his serve and his cool as Wawrinka raced away with the second and third sets.
Wawrinka just beat the rain that brought an early end to Saturday's play.
Fernando Verdasco also booked his spot in round four with a 6-2 6-1 6-3 victory over 22nd seed Pablo Cuevas while seventh seed Marin Cilic eased to a 6-1 6-3 6-3 win against Feliciano Lopez.
Cilic is also yet to drop a set this tournament and the former US Open champion is very happy with his form.
The Croatian said: "I played extremely well today. The conditions were a little bit slower today than the other days. When we started the court was quite heavy, and I felt that suited me much more than Feliciano.
"I was returning extremely well today. So that helped me to neutralise his big serve. And then off the ground I was playing really, really good.
"I'm feeling really well, and definitely with the fitness. I haven't spent too much time on the court and won all the matches quite straightforward.
"I didn't lose too much energy. And that's definitely extremely important for the upcoming week."
Three matches will have to be completed on Sunday.
Eighth seed Kei Nishikori is in a spot of bother after young Korean Chung Hyeon fought back from two sets down to make it 7-5 6-4 6-7 (4/7) 0-3 when the rain came.
Russian Karen Khachanov, another 21-year-old, won the opening set against John Isner on a tie-break while Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils were still in the first set of the big all-French clash on Court Philippe Chatrier.
