Fabio Fognini has advanced to the quarter-finals of the Indian Wells Masters courtesy of a hard-fought three-sets win over Gael Monfils in California.

The Italian started rapidly, breaking Monfils to love in the opening game on his way to taking the first set at a stroll in under half-an-hour of action.

He broke again in the fifth game and only dropped two points while holding comfortably to set up an opportunity to serve for the set, and he eventually took a match lead at the seventh attempt.

However, Monfils improved in the second and levelled the contest after snatching two breaks to Fognini's one, and he claimed three more in the third, but even that was not enough to see him victorious.

Fognini broke the Frenchman on four occasions, including once after saving two match points and then again to secure the win, in an error-strewn set in which serve was only held successfully five times.

Following his 6-2 3-6 7-5 triumph, Fognini could face world number one Rafael Nadal in the last eight.