Ashleigh Barty has accepted she has a "hell of an opportunity" to win the French Open after powering into her maiden quarter-final in Paris.

Key points: Ash Barty beat Sofia Kenin 6-0, 3-6, 6-0

Ash Barty beat Sofia Kenin 6-0, 3-6, 6-0 She will next play Madison Keys, the American 14th seed

She will next play Madison Keys, the American 14th seed Barty is only the fifth Australian woman to make the quarter-finals in over 45 years

The legendary Rod Laver says there's "no question" Barty can become the first Australian singles champion at Roland Garros in 46 years after watching his fellow Queenslander surge into the last eight.

Barty displayed grit and poise to end the giant-killing run of unseeded American Sofia Kenin 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in drizzly rain that made for heavy, tough conditions on Monday.

"I haven't really played in that much before. So I think it was a new experience for me today, but I felt like I handled it really well and obviously didn't let it upset me too much," the unflappable star said.

In a fluctuating last-16 encounter, Barty ousted the third-round slayer of Serena Williams in exactly one hour and 30 minutes.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of his unparalleled second calendar-year grand slam, Laver was fittingly front and centre at Court Philippe Chatrier as Barty dug deep to continue her stellar breakout season.

Australia's Ashleigh Barty in action during her fourth round match against Sofia Kenin of the US. ( Reuters: Vincent Kessler )

Barty overcame the disappointment of dropping her first set of the tournament to subdue her free-hitting but temperamental opponent with 11 aces and 25 winners.

Barty is provisionally set to climb into the world's top five after clinching an equal tour-best 28th victory of the year.

But she has bigger fish to fry.

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"It's pretty incredible to be in this position now, deep into another slam, and a hell of an opportunity," she said after matching her run to the Australian Open quarter-finals in January.

"I feel like I'm in a very good place and enjoying myself."

Barty next plays 14th seed and 2018 semi-finalist Madison Keys on Wednesday after closing to within three wins of becoming Australia's first French Open singles champion since Margaret Court in 1973.

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"You can go all the way, no question. I'll be cheering hard. So proud. Rocket," Laver said after posing for a photo with Barty and then singing the 23-year-old's praises to the world's tennis media.

"It's amazing what she has accomplished here," Laver said at a packed media conference at Roland Garros.

"A couple of years back, she was a good doubles player and played some attractive singles.

"But something happened. She says, 'I know how to win matches now', and that's what Barty has accomplished this year.

"It's more confidence than anything else. With confidence, you can make anything happen."

Barty is also only the fifth Australian woman to make the quarter-finals since the legendary Court's fifth title win in 1973, joining Wendy Turnbull (1979, 1980), Dianne Fromholtz (1979, 1980), Nicole Provis (1988) and Fed Cup teammate Samantha Stosur (2009, 2010, 2012, 2016).

Australia's big hope had to regroup after allowing Kenin back on level terms before racing through the deciding set to set up a showdown with Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, who made light work of Czech sensation Katerina Siniakova.

Siniakova had taken out world number one Naomi Osaka in the third round, snapping the Japanese's 16-match grand slam winning streak, but succumbed to Keys 6-2, 6-4 in 76 minutes.

Barty will be a warm favourite to progress to a semi-final against either defending champion Simona Halep or American teenage sensation Amanda Anisimova after dominating Keys 6-4, 6-1 in Fed Cup in April — two years after losing to the American in the first round in Paris.

AAP