Novak Djokovic came from a set down to book his place in the Rome Open quarter-finals with a 4-6 6-2 6-3 victory over Juan Monaco.
The world number one surprisingly went behind when the ever-improving Argentine recorded the only break of the opening set to take it 6-4.
Things looked even bleaker for the Serbian when he went a break down in the second, but he soon responded with consecutive breaks of his own to take control.
Djokovic restored parity by stealing another Monaco service game to wrap up the second and put his poor first set behind him.
While Monaco edged the first and Djokovic dominated the second, the third set was a much more even contest, with all of the opening eight games going with serve.
However, the five-time Grand Slam champion was able to earn a decisive break in the ninth and went on to serve out for the match and advance into the last eight.
Djokovic will face either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Juan Martin del Potro in the quarter-finals.
