The Swiss 17-time Grand Slam champion looked in control of the tie, sitting a set and break up as the end of the second set beckoned.

The match seemed to come down to just a single point from there as Federer placed an overhead smash straight into the oncoming Latvian who put it away for a comfortable winner to save the set.

From there, 25-year-old Gulbis saved two set points, broke back, and eventually captured the set in the tiebreak when Federer delivered successive forehand errors.

The third set saw the unforced errors again rack up for the once unstoppable Federer, as he was broken twice to hand the advantage to Gulbis.

With the crowd firmly behind the former champion, Federer fought back to level the tie in the fourth set before an early break in the fifth gave Gubis all the momentum he needed as he secured one of the greatest victories of his career.

"It's probably the most important win of my career, especially because it was five sets," said Gulbis, whose 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory moves him into the quarter-final for the first time since 2008.

"I beat him before, but it was a three set match.

"So for my confidence and just for me as a tennis player, a five set win over Roger Federer, it's really big."

With the loss, the French Open quarter-final will be Federer-free for the first time since 2004, with the Swiss greats time at the top seemingly on the decline as he bows out of a Grand Slam in the last 16 for the third time in the last four.

Ernests Gulbis battled through to a five set victory over Roger Federer to make his first French Open quarter-final since 2008 ©Getty Images



As Federer's run comes to an end, Novak Djokovic looks ahead to the quarter-finals after demolishing local favourite Jo-Wilfred Tsonga 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.

The Serbian was utterly dominant throughout the match as he strode 5-0 up in the first set with just 18 minutes on the clock.

Despite their man getting more of a footing in the second set, there was little for the French crowd to cheer about as Djokovic served out the set to love before cruising to victory in the third.

Britain's Andy Murray was given the night to recuperate after his match with Philipp Kohlschreiber was suspended due to fading light late last night.

Play resumed on Suzanne Lenglen Court with the encounter tied at 7-7 in the deciding set, with the German proving the first to crack as Murray sealed the win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 12-10 after a gruelling 4 hours 7min.

In the women's draw, Russia's Maria Sharapova received her first scare of the tournament as she had to fight from a set down to beat Sam Stosur.

The Australian put up a spirited early challenge against the seventh seed, taking the first set 6-3, but ultimately failed to maintain her momentum as Sharapova jumped into overdrive to recover in the second to take it 6-4 and storm to a 6-0 victory in the third.

The 2012 champion is gunning for her third straight Roland Garros final after losing in the final to Serena Williams last year.

Young Canadian Eugenie Bouchard continued to impress in France as she stormed to victory against Germany's Angelique Kerber in just 52 minutes ©Getty Images



With the favourites struggling to find their form in the women's draw of this year's French Open, it is the up-and-coming youngsters who are showing their worth, and none more so than Canada's Eugenie Bouchard.

The 20-year-old was in cruise control as she booked a place in the quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-2 demolition of Germany's Angelique Kerber in just 52 minutes.

The results moves the Canadian into her first ever quarter-final in Paris, with the youngster never having made it past the second round in her relatively short professional career.

Day nine of the French Open will see a return to court for Murray, who does not get a break despite playing the remainder of his match today.

He will be joined by Rafael Nadal, Sloane Stephens and Gael Monfils, all trying to make the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

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