David Ferrer has the opportunity to join the elite 500-club with an Australian Open quarter-final win over volatile Spanish countryman Nicolas Almagro.
Another victory will chalk up 500 career wins on the ATP tour for the 30-year-old; with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt and Tommy Haas the only other current players to have achieved the record.
American great Jimmy Connors leads the all-time record with a staggering 1243 victories.
The modest Spaniard doesn’t sound like he believes he should be included in such company.
Ferrer will be promoted to world No.4 next week but points out he’s only there because of Nadal’s seven-month absence from the court.
“I think the top four, they are better,” he said after his straight-sets demolition job on Japan’s 16th seed Kei Nishikori.
“In this moment, the last three or four years, they are better than the other players.”
Ferrer and Almagro are the two remaining Spaniards in the Open, playing in just the third all-Spanish quarter-final at Melbourne Park.
Ferrer will start strong favourite on Tuesday to repeat his semi-final appearance from 2011, having beaten Almagro in each of their 12 meetings.
He has denied the 27-year-old five titles since their first clash back in 2006, and beat him four times in 2012 alone.
Almagro, who’s known equally for his hard-hitting and his temperamental nature, says he’s ready for their day clash on Rod Laver Arena.
He has made the Australian Open fourth round the past three years but never advanced further.
His last opponent, world No.9 Serb Janko Tipsarevic retired with a foot injury trailing 5-1 in the second set.
“This is a big opportunity for me to be in a semi-final,” Almagro said.
“I’m ready to fight. I’m healthy and I’m happy with my tennis and I think I’m playing really good.
“He is hitting the ball with a lot of confidence and we’ll see what happens on Tuesday.”
The winner with face either Novak Djokovic or Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals.