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Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Aslan Karatsev have given Russia three men in the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time in professional tennis.
Triumphant ATP Cup teammates Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev will clash in an all-Russian Australian Open quarter-final after creating a slice of tennis history at Melbourne Park.
The red-hot Medvedev extended his winning streak to 18 matches with a 6-4 6-2 6-3 fourth-round victory over unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald before Casper Ruud retired hurt in his match against Rublev on Monday.
The seventh-seeded Rublev was leading 6-2 7-6 (7-3) when the Norwegian called it quits.
With qualifier Aslan Karatsev also through to a last-eight meeting with Grigor Dimitrov, three Russian men are into the quarter-finals of a grand slam for the first time in the 53-year professional era.
"It's definitely one Russian in the semis, three Russians in the quarters ... first time in the history. It's great for our sport," Medvedev said.
"We are both, with Andrey, really happy for Aslan, because he was practising good in ATP Cup. We felt like he could do something amazing.
"To be honest, being in your first grand slam main draw and making quarters is something exceptional. He's not over yet.
"Let's see how he does tomorrow."
Medvedev had been pushed to the limit in his third-round victory over Filip Krajinovic but had no such trouble against McDonald.
"It was a great match. I was feeling the ball great, I was serving great," said the 2019 US Open runner-up and 2020 ATP Finals champion.
"So I'm really happy. It's an exciting moment to be in the quarters in Australia for the first time.
"But I always want more. It's step by step."
His attacking style likened to the great Roger Federer, McDonald tried everything to unsettle Medvedev, rallying from the back and rushing the net.
But nothing worked as the relentless world No.4 progressed in less than 90 minutes.
"I finished at 1.30, which is important in the later stages of the grand slams, to make fast matches," Medvedev said.
"When you play Mackenzie, many times it's going to be him controlling the game and you just need to defend.
"I knew that I needed to put some low balls because he plays really flat and aggressive, so to give him high balls he's going to try to destroy it."
Rublev enjoyed a breakout season last year, reaching the last eight of the French and US Opens and chalking up a tour-best five titles.
His rise is showing no sign of slowing.
Like Medvedev, the 23-year-old has won all eight matches he's played in Australia this summer.
But the world No.8 faces his sternest test yet on Wednesday.
"At least one of us will be in the semis so it's good news but it's going to be a tough match," Rublev said.
"Last time he beat me in the US Open quarters and (we play in the) quarters again."
The winner this time could strike Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals after the Spaniard continued his quest for a record 21st career major with a 6-3 6-4 6-2 demolition of Fabio Fognini.
Nadal will play fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-final after the Greek star was handed a walkover against ninth-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini.
Berrettini withdrew from the fourth-round clash with an abdominal strain.