Novak Djokovic battled to a straight-sets win over Filip Krajinovic to reach the quarter-finals of the Italian Open for the 14th year in a row.
Djokovic saved five break points on his way to a 7-6 6-3 win over his fellow Serb in a match lasting over two hours.
Djokovic trailed 4-1 in the first-set tie break and needed five set points, before improving in the second set.
The 33-year-old will now face Italian Lorenzo Musetti or Dominik Koepfer of Germany in the last eight.
World number one Djokovic is playing in his first tournament since being disqualified for accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball at the US Open.
Meanwhile, Garbine Muguruza knocked out British number one Johanna Konta in a third-round encounter.
Konta was beaten 6-4 6-1 by the world number 17, who claimed a third win in five matches between the pair.
The Briton reached the final in Rome last year but was beaten in one hour 22 minutes on the clay by Muguruza, who will next play Victoria Azarenka.
World number 13 Konta, 29, has also announced she has split from coach Thomas Hogstedt.
“They were only working on a trial basis and they agreed to work together for the US swing and then assess going forward,” said a spokesperson for Konta.
Konta will now prepare for the French Open, which begins on September 27.
