As Ivan Ivanov makes impressive strides on both the senior and juniors circuits, the Bulgarian has a couple of critical examinations coming up over the next month.

The Bulgarian reached the quarter-finals of the Roland Garros boys’ singles on Wednesday with a rousing 2-6 6-3 6-4 over American Jagger Leach in a quality match lasting one hour 44 minutes.

The 16-year-old, who trains at Rafael Nadal’s academy in Mallorca while balancing his school work, said after his triumph that he is bracing for difficult tests on and off the court.

The present challenge is at Roland Garros, where Ivanov will play Italian Jacopo Vasami, the No. 2 seed, for a place in the semi-finals in Paris.

From striking superb shots this week - he powered 28 forehands against Leach - to hitting the books next week, the No. 9 seed will then prepare for exams later this month.

“I am studying in the Rafa Nadal School, in the Rafa Nadal Academy, and I have to do my exams now after Roland Garros,” he said.

“It is important to keep up with school, too. But I'm very confident. I really like studying. Sometimes it's a bit tough to manage it, but I really like it.”

Ivanov, who has an ATP Tour ranking of 798, fell for tennis while watching the thrilling rivalry shared by Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic during their grand careers.

He said it was wonderful to be playing at Roland Garros while Djokovic is still competing and in a tournament where the legendary deeds of Nadal were celebrated on the opening day.

“My dad introduced me to tennis. We watched a lot of matches and I just really wanted to try it. I liked it and it has been great since then,” he said. “I got inspired by the ‘Big Three’ in Rafa, Novak and Roger. All of them have been some people that I can look up to. And following their suits, I just appreciate that I am playing the same sport as them (and can) compete more and more in the same tournaments as them.”

Ivanov, who speaks Bulgarian and English and is learning Spanish, arrived in Paris with confidence after enjoying success on both the ITF senior and junior tours.

He fell to Vasemi, his quarter-final rival, in three sets in the final of the J500 in Milan leading into Roland Garros after winning a J300 title in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in April.

In between the junior tournaments, he claimed an ITF M15 in Szentendre, Hungary, which included three victories over higher-ranked rivals throughout the week.

“It was great. My discipline, my execution of every match with tactics, with planning, it was a great experience. That's, for sure, something I took to here,” he said.

“Against the pros it is a bit more different. There you have to be focused on every point. And if you're not, then every moment counts, and they can come back whenever they feel like.

“With juniors, well, maybe they let you pass a bit more, but with both of them, you have to be very focused and keep going all the time.”

On an overcast day in Paris, the round of 16 matches were delayed by drizzle, but when play began Neils McDonald caused an upset against No. 1 seed Andres Santamarta Roig 4-6 6-3 6-4.

The German will play No. 7 seed Yannick Theodor Alexandrescou, who defeated Thilo Behrmann 6-0 6-1, in the opening quarter-final.

American No. 6 seed Benjamin Willwerth had the better of No. 10 seed Timofei Derepasko 6-4 6-4. He will play German Max Schoenhaus, who defeated qualifier Stefan Horia Haita from Romania 2-6 6-1 6-1.

No. 11 seed Alexander Vasilev, a 6-2 7-5 victor over Savva Rybkin, will play 13th seeded Ryo Tabata from Japan after he progressed 6-4 7-6 (4) over No. 4 seed Jack Kennedy.