Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the French Open third round yesterday.
Djokovic briefly struggled before bulldozing past Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics 7-6(2) 6-0 6-3 to reach the French Open third round.
The world number three, who sparked controversy by writing “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” on a camera lens earlier this week, survived a high-octane end to the first set to advance to a clash with Spanish 29th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
“Thank you everyone for your support and presence. I hope you had fun tonight especially in the first set – me, a bit less,” Djokovic said on court.
“I was not surprised, I know him very well he can play at a very high level on all surfaces. Then I played my best game. I’m very happy with that.”
Under the lights of Philippe Chatrier court, Djokovic, bidding for a record-breaking 23rd men’s singles Grand Slam title and a third Musketeers Cup, came out with all guns blazing against the world number 83 Fucsovics.
Djokovic raced into a 3-0 lead before his opponent found his rhythm to set up three break points at 4-2.
Djokovic saved them but Fucsovics battled back to level for 5-5.
The Serbian yelled at his box on his way to the bench after holding for 6-5 before breezing through the tiebreak.
Djokovic broke his opponent’s serve in the opening game of the second set and he did not look back, cruising to victory despite being broken twice more.
He went on to sign the camera lens, avoiding another political message.
“Drama-free Grand Slam, I don’t think it can happen for me. I guess that drives me, as well,” he told a press conference.
Tsitsipas, chasing his first Grand Slam title, made a sluggish start to his campaign against Jiri Vesely but the fifth seed looked back to his best against Roberto Carballes Baena, as he overcame a wobble to beat the Spaniard 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2.
Top seed Alcaraz resumed his quest for a second Grand Slam title with a 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-2 win over Japan’s Taro Daniel on a windy afternoon to book a third-round date with Canadian 26th seed Denis Shapovalov.
Three-times quarter-finalist Elina Svitolina took a leaf out of her husband Gael Monfils’s playbook following his five-set win over Sebastian Baez to down Australian Storm Hunter 2-6 6-3 6-1.
The Ukrainian then waded into the debate around Djokovic and said the world number three should have the right to express his opinion.
“If you stand for something, you think that this is the way, you should say,” Svitolina said.
Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka later beat compatriot Iryna Shymanovich 7-5 6-2 but the world number two refused to comment on the war in Ukraine.
The 25-year-old had been urged by her first-round opponent Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine to take a personal stand.
“I’ve got no comments to you,” she told a reporter who asked her specifically to condemn it.
Former champion Jelena Ostapenko had not made the second week at Roland Garros since 2017 and her disappointing run continued as unseeded American Peyton Stearns prevailed 6-3 1-6 6-2 in their second-round clash.
The feisty Latvian’s exit along with 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova’s defeat by Lesia Tsurenko means holder Iga Swiatek is the only remaining winner of the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in the women’s draw.
World number three Jessica Pegula, hoping to hoist her maiden Grand Slam trophy on the Parisian clay, advanced into the third round after her Italian opponent Camila Giorgi retired after losing the opening set 6-2.
Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina came up with an early contender for shot of the tournament with a tweener in her 6-3 6-4 defeat of former runner-up Marketa Vondrousova.
Anna Blinkova dashed French hopes with a stunning 4-6 6-3 7-5 victory over fifth seed Caroline Garcia, wrapping up victory on her ninth match point.
Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis came through a rollercoaster clash against 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka with a 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3 victory and seventh seed Andrey Rublev beat Corentin Moutet 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-3.
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