1 Jun 2017

Djokovic and Nadal cruise into third round

9:39 am on 1 June 2017

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and nine-time winner Rafa Nadal cruised through to the third round with comprehensive wins at the French Open.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Eight-time grand slam champion Andre Agassi, who teamed up with Djokovic ahead of the tournament, watched the Serb beat Portuguese Joao Sousa 6-1 6-4 6-3 in just over two hours on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Nadal extended his record at Roland Garros to 74-2 with a clinical 6-1 6-4 6-3 victory over Dutchman Robin Haase.

In the women's draw, Garbine Muguruza beat Anett Kontaveit 6-7(4) 6-4 6-2 to move into the third round, while Kristina Mladenovic romped past Italy's Sara Errani 6-2 6-3.

Sixth-seed Dominika Cibulkova was the day's biggest casualty after Tunisian Ons Jabeur beat the Slovak 6-4 6-3. Jabeur became the first Arab woman to reach the third round of a grand slam singles tournament.

Earlier in the day, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova's comeback was cut short with a second-round defeat to doubles world number one Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

The 15th seed, returning this week for the first time since she was stabbed in the hand by an intruder in December, littered the court with 25 unforced errors as she lost 7-6(5) 7-6(5).

The two New Zealanders in doubles action today Artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell were both beaten.

-Reuters