The world number 1 was on the back foot in the opening two sets as the Italian teenager delivered a performance for the ages.
Both won their previous games in straight sets, and both seem to be in a similar vein of rich form going into the quarter-finals.
Pavlyuchenkova has returned to the last eight of the French Open for the first time in 10 years after a three-set victory over Azarenka.
The Russian wins his match in straight sets to set up a mouth-watering last-eight date with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Nadal's fourth-round opponent will be Jannik Sinner in a match definitely promises to be an enthralling encounter.
The Serb played through his three sets with ease and dominance, and stamped his authority on the match from the get-go.
The German tennis player will face the Swiss maestro in an intriguing third-round clash on Saturday.
With five years having passed, let us look back at what is a momentous achievement by Novak Djokovic - completing the career Grand Slam.
The French Open Tennis tournament is also called Roland Garros, after France's pioneer aviator.
The No.7 seed American overcomes a second-set deficit to book a French Open fourth-round ticket and will next face Elena Rybakina.