One more feather added in the cape of World number one Rafal Nadal as he set a new record of winning 50 consecutive sets on a single surface by defeating Argentine Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-4 on Thursday to get to the Madrid Open quarter-finals.

The Mallorcan beat John McEnroe's earlier record of 49 consecutive sets on carpet which had stood since 1984 by seeing off 13th seed Schwartzman and persuaded a 21st consecutive succeed on soil.

Nadal will meet Austrian Dominic Thiem in the last eight on Friday in claiming of a sixth Madrid Open title. Earlier in the claycourt season he won an 11th Monte Carlo Masters and lifted the Barcelona Open trophy for the 11th time.

World number six Juan Martin del Potro kicked out of the tournament after Serbia's Dusan Lajovic came back from a set down to hammer the Argentine 3-6 6-4 7-6(6) in the third round.

Del Potro looked in absolute control as he converted two break-point chances to take the opening set but Lajovic, who ranked 95th in the world, put all efforts to stay in the contest.

A break halfway through the second set was sufficient for Lajovic to vigor a decider before he concluded his first career win over a top-10 opponent in the tiebreak.

In the quarter-finals, Lajovic will face South Africa's Kevin Anderson who defeat German Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 7-6(7).