Novak Djokovic cruises into third round of French Open
Novak Djokovic claimed he is “going in the right direction” as he cleared the latest hurdle in the defense of his French Open title on Wednesday.
The world No. 1 is safely through to the third round after dispatching Slovakia’s Alex Molcan in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
“Well, so far so good,” Djokovic said. “I’m pleased with the way I’m feeling on the court, the way I have been striking the ball.
“I think also today was under these kind of challenging conditions and playing against (a) specialist on clay, someone that is a tricky opponent.
It was never going to be an easy match, but I thought I performed very well.
“In the third set, you know, I was a break up, and I allowed him to come back into the match.
“Nevertheless I held my nerves and played well in the tie-break. I’m just glad to play the way I have been playing the first two rounds.
“Everything is going in the right direction. I’m looking forward to the next challenge.”
Next up for Djokovic will be Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, ranked 195th in the world.
Third seed Alexander Zverev fell two sets behind to Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, but the German battled back to beat his 21-year-old opponent, saving a match point in the 10th game of the final set on his way to a 2-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 7-5 win.
“I couldn’t have played any worse,” Zverev said. “I just tried to find a rhythm and did that. I’m happy still being in the tournament right now.
“I was planning my holiday in Monaco, where I was going to go and who I was going with and that relaxed me, thinking about the beach.”
Zverev is now 8-1 in fivesetters at Roland Garros.
Teenage Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz, tipped as a potential title winner this year, also had to save a match point on his way to a five-set win over veteran clay-courter Albert Ramos Vinolas.
Alcaraz, 19, was staring down the barrel of a fourset defeat but bravely hung on to force a tie-break and, after slipping 3-0 down in the decider, clawed his way back to beat 34-year-old Ramos Vinolas 6-1, 6-7 (79), 5-7, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4.
“I feel a bit tired,”
Alcaraz, the winner of four tournaments this year, including the Miami and Madrid Masters, said.
“I knew it would be a tough match. We fought until the last point. I am so happy with the performance today.”
Rafael Nadal also remained on course for a blockbuster quarterfinal against Djokovic.
The 13-time champion showed no signs of the recent recurrence of a foot injury as he swatted aside France’s Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in the night match, fighting back from 2-0 down in the third set.