The Spanish top seed, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, triumphed 6-3, 6-4 in windy conditions on day four of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour Masters 1000 event at the Canadian city’s IGA Stadium.

It sets up a last-eight encounter with Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who defeated France's Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 7-5.

Victory was Nadal's 379th ATP Masters 1000 win, breaking a tie with Swiss legend Roger Federer for the all-time lead.

The 33-year-old said he does not enjoy playing in windy conditions, but he also relishes the mental challenge they provide.

"[It was] a tough day in terms of wind," Nadal, the all-time ATP Masters 1000 titles leader with 34, said.

"But we are used to playing like this.

"When we play on outdoor courts, that's part of the game too. 

"Of course it is better to play without this kind of wind.

"At the same time, it is beautiful to play under tough conditions because then the player who has different options to play has better chances to survive these kind of days."

Among the other players through to the quarter-finals is second seed Dominic Thiem of Austria, who will play Russia's Daniil Medvedev after overcoming Croatia's Marin Čilić 7-6, 6-4.

Medvedev claimed a 6-3, 6-3 win over Chile's Cristian Garín in the round of 16.

The other quarter-final matches pit Germany's Alexander Zverev, who won the Rogers Cup in 2017, against Russia's Karen Khachanov and France's Gael Monfils against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut.

Zverev beat Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-5, 5-7, 7-6, while Khachanov defeated Canadian youngster Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-7, 7-5, 6-3.

Monfils and Bautista Agut both won in straight sets, with the former overcoming Poland's Hubert Hurkacz 6-4, 6-0 and the latter beating France's Richard Gasquet 7-5, 7-5.

Action also continued today at the Women's Tennis Association Premier 5 event at the Aviva Centre in Toronto.

American great Serena Williams will face Japan's Naomi Osaka for the first time since the controversial 2018 US Open final after both came through their last 16 matches.

Williams beat Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5, 6-4, while Osaka ousted Poland's Iga Świątek 7-6, 6-4.

Osaka's triumph at the 2018 US Open saw her claim a first Grand Slam title, but it came amid chaotic scenes as Williams accused the chair umpire of being a "thief".

Also through to the last eight in Toronto is defending champion Simona Halep of Romania after she overcame Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-1.

Next up for fourth seed Halep, who won her second Grand Slam crown at Wimbledon last month, is Czech Republic's Marie Bouzková, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Latvia's Jeļena Ostapenko.

Elsewhere, third seed Karolína Plíšková of Czech Republic beat Estonia's Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Canada's Bianca Andreescu, who defeated The Netherlands' Kiki Bertens 6-1, 6-7, 6-4.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and the United States' Sofia Kenin also advanced with the former overcoming Switzerland's Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-4 and the latter registering a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska.

Competition in both Montreal and Toronto is due to continue tomorrow.