Novak Djokovic has continued his imperious French Open form, dropping just five games to reach the third round where he was joined by Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini and Grigor Dimitrov.
Earlier on Thursday, former champion Jelena Ostapenko evoked memories of her 2017 title run in Paris with a commanding win over No.2 seed Karolina Pliskova.
The Latvian led several Grand Slam champions into the last 32 in Paris, the others being Petra Kvitova, Garbine Muguruza and reigning AO champion Sofia Kenin.
Ostapenko advances, Kenin hangs on
In the first match of the day beneath a closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier, the unseeded Ostapenko struck 27 winners to nine to dismiss Rome finalist Pliskova in just 69 minutes.
Awaiting her in the third round is not 2018 French Open finalist Sloane Stephens, but instead 87th-ranked Spaniard Paula Badosa, who upset the No.29 seed 6-4 4-6 6-2.
Also advancing on Thursday was two-time major winner Garbine Muguruza; her 6-3 6-2 defeat of Kristyna Pliskova sets up a third-round clash with Danielle Collins, who ended the run of 17-year-old Danish qualifier Clara Tauson.
That segment of the draw is unfolding intriguingly, with the winner of Muguruza-Collins to face either No.8 seed Aryna Sabalenka or 30th seed Ons Jabeur, who both progressed in straight sets.
Kvitova moved through with a 6-3 6-3 win over Italy’s Jasmine Paolini and will next face Canadian teen talent Leylah Fernandez, while for the second straight match, Kenin was forced to battle for three sets before eventually subduing Romania’s Ana Bogdan 3-6 6-3 6-2.
Djokovic continues to cruise
After beating Mikael Ymer 6-0 6-2 6-3 in his opening match, Djokovic dropped the same number of games to overwhelm Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 6-1 6-2 6-2.
The 2016 French champion, eyeing an 18th Grand Slam title this fortnight at Roland Garros, next faces lucky loser Daniel Elahi Galan, while No.15 seed Karen Khachanov – a four-set winner over Jiri Vesely – looms as a potential opponent in the last 16.
Khachanov next plays No.20 seed Cristian Garin, who ended Australia’s singles representation with a four-set win over Marc Polmans.
Spaniards Roberto Bautista Agut and Pablo Carreno Busta, seeded 10th and 17th respectively, set up a third-round match after both won in straight sets; the winner could play No.7 seed Berrettini, who beat Lloyd Harris and who will meet German qualifier Daniel Altmaier.
DRAW: French Open men's singles
After a five-set struggle on Tuesday, fifth seed Tsitsipas was a 6-1 6-4 6-2 winner over former world No.19 Pablo Cuevas; also advancing in Tsitsipas’ segment in straight sets was Dimitrov, who defeated Andrej Martin to equal his best result in Paris.
Upset of the day
No.9 seed Denis Shapovalov was the highest seed to fall in the men’s draw, bowing out 7-5 6-7(5) 6-3 3-6 8-6 to world No.101 Roberto Carballes Baena.
It was a stunning result, given Shapovalov entered the tournament following a semifinal showing on clay in Rome and after having advanced to the US Open quarterfinals last month.
Perhaps that volume of tennis caught up with the young Canadian, who required an off-court medical timeout in the second set.
Denis Shapovalov’s last 9 Grand Slam matches:
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) October 1, 2020
5 set loss (Carballes Baena)
4 set win (Simon)
5 set loss (Carreño Busta)
4 set win (Goffin)
5 set win (Fritz)
4 set win (Kwon)
4 set win (Korda)
4 set loss (Fucsovics)
5 set loss (Monfils)
The Scenic Route. #RG20
Shapovalov led 5-3 in the fifth and twice served for the match, but Carballes Baena rebounded to clinch a shock victory in exactly five hours, advancing to the third round at a major for the first time.
Shapovalov finished with 106 unforced errors. Carballes Baena next faces Dimitrov.
Quotes of the day
“I put in so much pressure on myself in the Grand Slams. I don't want to put that pressure, Oh, it's a Grand Slam, I have to do something. If I want to be the top, I need to win it right now. I feel more relaxed and calm.”
- Aryna Sabalenka, whose 7-6(6) 6-0 win over Daria Kasatkina moves her into the third round at the French Open for the first time, and just the third time ever at a Slam.
“I bought 30 of them, and I handed out to the team. So now we are more organised (smiling).”
- Stefanos Tsitsipas, on the masks bearing an image of his face, created by an artist and advertised on Instagram.
“I'm going to be honest here. I was like, Why are we playing? Obviously I was looking how Rafa was, like, taking this whole situation. If he's a champion and he doesn't complain about it, I mean, who I am to complain about it right now?”
- Ons Jabeur, on how she’s adapting to conditions in Paris.
“I always like playing out here. For some reason … not to sound like an excuse, but I always had tough rounds to get over to that second week. For me personally I would love to get further in this tournament.”
- Grigor Dimitrov
“The world doesn't stop with winning only one Grand Slam. Of course I want to achieve more and I want to be back in top 5, top 10.”
- Jelena Ostapenko
Stat of the day
Lead-in form seems instructive this year in Paris, with all but one of the recent clay-court tournament champions still alive in the draw.
Fiona Ferro, the winner in Palermo, upset No.14 seed Elena Rybakina 6-3 4-6 6-2 on Thursday to set up a third-round clash with Patricia Maria Tig, the Istanbul champion who beat Christina McHale.
DRAW: French Open women's singles
Top seed Simona Halep, who triumphed in Prague and Rome, and third seed Elina Svitolina, the Strasbourg champion, both progressed to the last 32 in the top half a day earlier.
No.15 seed Andrey Rublev, who won in Hamburg, beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Thursday to join Rome champion Djokovic in the third round. Rublev next plays Kevin Anderson, who upstaged 22nd seed Dusan Lajovic in five.
Kitzbuhel winner Miomir Kecmanovic is so far the only tune-up champion to have exited the tournament.
Tweet of the day
Australian Daria Gavrilova was onto something after recently facing world No.357 Clara Burel, the French wildcard who advanced to round three at Roland Garros following a 7-6(6) 6-2 win over Kaja Juvan.
See! Go Clara! https://t.co/8QoipIy8Gr
— Daria Gavrilova (@Daria_gav) October 1, 2020
Day 6: Ones to watch
With third-round action commencing on Friday, look no further than the first two matches on Chatrier.
The day’s play opens with a clash between No.3 seed Dominic Thiem and Rome semifinalist Casper Ruud, before a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal between Halep and Amanda Anisimova, which the American teenager sensationally won.
ORDER OF PLAY: French Open Day 6
Rafael Nadal, playing for a men’s record-equalling 20th major title, closes play on the premier court against Italy’s Stefano Travaglia.
Elsewhere at Roland Garros, Alexander Zverev takes on 2018 semifinalist Marco Cecchinato at Court Suzanne Lenglen, while at Court Simonne Mathieu, Eugenie Bouchard will attempt to reach the fourth round at a Slam for the first time in five years when she plays Poland’s Iga Swiatek.