PARIS (Reuters) – Highlights of the fourth day at the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, on Wednesday (times GMT):
* Spaniard Rafa Nadal dismantled local hope Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-1 6-4 to book his spot in the third round and stay on course for a 14th title at Roland Garros.
* Sixth seed Carlos Alcaraz clawed back from the brink of a shock second-round defeat to outlast fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas in a five-set marathon.
* Alexander Zverev overcame a woeful start to reach the third round, saving a match point in a 2-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 7-5 victory over up-and-coming Argentine Sebastian Baez.
* Novak Djokovic completed a solid 6-2 6-3 7-6(4) victory over Slovakia’s Alex Molcan to keep his title defence and quest for a record-equalling 21st Grand Slam on track.
* Fourth seed Maria Sakkari was knocked out 7-6(5) 7-6(4) by Czech Karolina Muchova, while U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu was bundled out losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 to inspired Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
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Alcaraz survives match point to beat Ramos-Vinolas in marathon match
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French Open order of play on Thursday
2115 NADAL MARCHES ON, KORDA TO FACE ALCARAZ IN THIRD ROUND
Rafael Nadal reached 300 Grand Slam wins with a 6-3 6-1 6-4 victory over the Frenchman Corentin Moutet at Roland Garros.
Earlier, 27th seed Sebastian Korda beat veteran Richard Gasquet in straight sets 7-6(5) 6-3 6-3. The 21-year-old American will face Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the third round on Friday.
“He deserves all the attention he is getting. He’s doing things that nobody had been doing in the last 20 years or so,” Korda, the only player to beat Alcaraz on clay in 2022, said of his next opponent.
1905 KVITOVA KNOCKED OUT
Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, seeded 32nd, crashed out following a 6-4 6-2 defeat by Australia’s Daria Saville, ranked 127th in the world.
1820 ALCARAZ OUTLASTS RAMOS-VINOLAS TO REACH THIRD ROUND
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, one of the title favourites, fought back to win a marathon five-setter against fellow countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1 6-7(7) 5-7 7-6(2) 6-4.
The 19-year-old saved a match point in the fourth set and recovered from 3-0 down in the final set before sealing the win on his serve, after four hours and 34 minutes.
Earlier, 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov sealed a 6-0 6-4 6-3 victory over Borna Coric.
1800 SWISS BENCIC OUSTS ANDREESCU
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland defeated 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada 6-2 6-4 to reach the third round.
1706 SCHWARTZMAN SEALS COMEBACK WIN OVER MUNAR
Argentine 15th seed Diego Schwartzman bounced back from two sets down to defeat Spain’s Jaume Munar 2-6 6-7(3) 6-2 6-2 6-2 in three hours and 45 minutes.
1637 DJOKOVIC REACHES THIRD ROUND
World number one and defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round with a comfortable 6-2 6-3 7-6(4) victory over Slovakia’s Alex Molcan.
Djokovic, bidding for a record-equalling 21st Grand Slam title, hit 40 winners and fired down 10 aces.
The top seed will next meet Slovenia’s former world number 43 Aljaz Bedene for a place in the fourth round.
1613 ZVEREV DIGS DEEP TO BEAT BAEZ
Third seed Alexander Zverev, last year’s semi-finalist, rallied from two sets down to beat Argentina’s Sebastian Baez 2-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 7-5 in three hours and 36 minutes.
Zverev was 4-2 down in the deciding set but the German fought back and saved a match point before wrapping up victory over his 21-year-old opponent.
“I lost a U.S. Open final being two sets up and I’ve learned from it,” said Zverev. “He (Baez) is unbelievable and he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
1449 CANADIAN FERNANDEZ ADVANCES
Leylah Fernandez, last year’s U.S. Open beaten finalist, reached the third round at Roland Garros with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Katerina Siniakova of Czech Republic.
1402 MUCHOVA KNOCKS OUT FOURTH SEED SAKKARI
Czech Karolina Muchova knocked out Greek fourth seed and last year’s semi-finalist Maria Sakkari 7-6(5) 7-6(4).
Sakkari is the latest casualty among the women’s top seeds after Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur (6) and defending champion Barbora Krejcikova (2) were knocked out in the first round.
1321 TEENAGER GAUFF, BRITAIN’S NORRIE THROUGH
American Coco Gauff, 18, battled through a tough second set to defeat Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck 6-1 7-6(4) and reach the third round.
In the men’s draw, British 10th seed Cameron Norrie advanced to the third round by beating Australia’s Jason Kubler 6-3 6-4 6-3.
1130 AUGER-ALIASSIME CRUSHES UGO CARABELLI
Ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime sailed into the third round with a routine 6-0 6-3 6-4 win over Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli, while big-serving 23rd seed John Isner battled past local wildcard Gregoire Barrere 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6(5).
1112 RADUCANU KNOCKED OUT BY SASNOVICH
U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu, playing her first French Open, crashed out in the second round after losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 defeat to the unseeded Aliaksandra Sasnovich.
1100 AZARENKA OUSTS PETKOVIC
Twice major winner Victoria Azarenka held off 2014 semi-finalist Andrea Petkovic in a tight second set to secure a 6-1 7-6(3) win and advance to the third round.
Swiss 23rd seed Jil Teichmann also progressed after easing past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic 6-4 6-1.
(Compiled by Manasi Pathak, Aadi Nair and Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru, Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Ed Osmond and Toby Davis)
