PARIS - Rafael Nadal qualified for the French Open semi-finals for the 10th time on Wednesday after compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta retired with injury while trailing 6-2, 2-0.
Nadal will face title-holder Novak Djokovic for a place in the final if the world number two gets past Austrian sixth seed Dominic Thiem in his quarter-final.
Record nine-time champion Nadal broke Carreno Busta four times in the opening set, with the 20th seed forced to quit after just 51 minutes due to an abdominal problem.
Carreno Busta was making his first quarter-final appearance at a Grand Slam. He received medical treatment at the end of the first set but promptly retired after an anguished scream following an overhead.
Fourth seed Nadal recorded his 100th best-of-five-sets victory on clay – from just 102 matches – as the Spaniard hunts a first major title since the 2014 French Open.
The 31-year-old has dropped just 22 games through five matches, bettering his previous low of 25 en route the last four in Paris in 2008.
He is just the fifth man in the Open era to reach 10 semi-finals at a single Slam after improving his record at Roland Garros to an incredible 77 wins and just two losses.
🇪🇸 @PabloCarreno91 is forced to retire (abdominal injury) during Q/F v. 🇪🇸 @RafaelNadal at @RolandGarros. We wish PCB a speedy recovery. #RG17 pic.twitter.com/LBhkn8tw0A