(Reuters) – World number one Novak Djokovic produced another clinical display to beat Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan and reach the French Open fourth round, while German qualifier Daniel Altmaier bundled out Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini on Saturday.
Djokovic, bidding for his 18th Grand Slam title, reached the last 16 at Roland Garros for the 11th consecutive year with a 6-0 6-3 6-2 win over Galan.
The Serb has dropped just 15 games in his opening three matches and will face 15th seed Karen Khachanov of Russia for a place in the quarter-finals.
Altmaier, ranked 186th in the world, broke Italian Berrettini’s serve four times to secure a convincing 6-2 7-6(5) 6-4 win on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 22-year-old German joins American Sebastian Korda in the last 16 as the first qualifiers to reach that stage in Paris in nine years.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also raced into the fourth round after Slovenian opponent Aljaz Bedene was forced to retire with an injury while trailing 6-1 6-2 3-1.
In the women’s draw, Czech seventh seed Petra Kvitova rallied from 5-1 down in the opening set to beat Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez 7-5 6-3.
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros with a 7-6(7) 2-6 6-3 win over eighth seed Aryna Sabalenka.
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin also progressed with a 6-2 6-0 win over Romanian qualifier Irina Bara.
Former champion Garbine Muguruza, however, suffered a shock exit when she lost 7-5 2-6 6-4 to American Danielle Collins.
Highlights of the seventh day at the French Open, the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Saturday (all times GMT):
1830 DJOKOVIC CRUISES INTO ROUND FOUR
World number one Novak Djokovic booked a place in the fourth round at Roland Garros for the 11th consecutive year after a 6-0 6-3 6-2 win over Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan.
1655 OSTAPENKO CRASHES OUT
Former champion Jelena Ostapenko committed 43 unforced errors as she was beaten 6-4 6-3 by Spain’s Paul Badosa.
1650 KVITOVA PASSES TRICKY FERNANDEZ TEST
Seventh seed Petra Kvitova dropped her serve four times against Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez but converted seven break points of her own to win 7-5 6-3 in just under two hours.
1630 KHACHANOV SEES OFF GARIN CHALLENGE
Russia’s 15th seed Karen Khachanov advanced into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the fourth straight year after defeating Chile’s Cristian Garin 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-2.
1620 SIEGEMUND SEALS COMEBACK WIN
Germany’s Laura Siegemund dropped just three games in the final two sets to beat Croatia’s 13th seed Petra Martic 6-7(5) 6-3 6-0.
1615 IN-FORM FERRO MOVES INTO ROUND FOUR
France’s Fiona Ferro extended her tour-level winning streak to eight matches, defeating Romania’s Patricia Maria Tig 7-6(7) 4-6 6-0.
1425 TSITSIPAS ADVANCES
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas progressed to the fourth round in Paris for a second consecutive year after Slovenian Aljaz Bedene retired injured while trailing 6-1 6-2 3-1.
1340 JABEUR TOPPLES SABALENKA
Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros after producing a shock 7-6(7) 2-6 6-3 win over eighth seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
1335 ZHANG BREAKS FRENCH HEARTS
China’s Zhang Shuai overcame a spirited challenge from French wildcard Clara Burel to win 7-6(2) 7-5.
Both players were vulnerable on serve and shared 36 break point opportunities before Zhang found a breakthrough to seal victory in just over two hours.
World number 39 Zhang becomes the first Chinese player to reach the fourth round of the French Open since former champion Li Na in 2012.
1250 KENIN POWERS INTO ROUND FOUR
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, seeded fourth in Paris, converted six of her nine break point opportunities and struck 34 winners en route a 6-2 6-0 win over Romania’s Irina Bara.
1240 CARRENO BUSTA BATTLES PAST BAUTISTA AGUT
In an all-Spanish third round encounter, 17th seed Pablo Carreno Busta proved too strong for 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in a 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-4 victory.
1130 QUALIFIER ALTMAIER UPSETS BERRETTINI
German qualifier Daniel Altmaier stunned Italian seventh seed Matteo Berrettini at court Philippe Chatrier with a 6-2 7-6(5) 6-4 victory to move into the fourth round.
Altmaier, ranked 186th in the world, hit 23 winners while Berrettini made 42 unforced errors.
1105 RUBLEV DOWNS ANDERSON IN STRAIGHT SETS
Russian 13th seed Andrey Rublev advanced to the fourth round of the French Open with a 6-3 6-2 6-3 win over South African Kevin Anderson.
The 22-year-old Rublev smashed 27 winners while Anderson, who made 33 unforced errors, failed to create a single break-point opportunity.
0915 PLAY UNDER WAY AT ROLAND GARROS
Play got underway in partly cloudy conditions with the temperature hovering around 12 Celsius (53.6 F).
Roberto Bautista Agut is taking on Pablo Carreno Busta in a battle of Spaniards.
Top seed Novak Djokovic plays Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan later while Petra Kvitova takes on Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair and Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
