Rafa, Novak, Petra and Serena in last 16 in Paris

NOVAK Djokovic and Rafael Nadal yesterday moved to within one win of a French Open quarterfinal blockbuster as the sport’s next generation endured a grand slam reality check.

World No 1 and top-seed Djokovic reached the last-16 for the sixth straight year with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 win over 19-year-old Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. Defending champion Nadal, chasing a 10th title in Paris, brushed aside Russian world No 120 Andrey Kuznetsov 6-1 6-3 6-2.

Third seed Andy Murray, twice a semifinalist, was also untroubled as he cruised to a 6-4 6-2 6-3 victory over Kokkinakis’s 20-year-old compatriot Nick Kyrgios.

It was a chastening day for the young guns at Roland Garros with Kokkinakis and Kyrgios joined at the exit door by 18year-old Croatian Borna Coric, defeated by Jack Sock of the US 6-2 6-1 6-4.

Djokovic, bidding for a first Roland Garros title to complete a career grand slam, will face French 20th seed Richard Gasquet for a place in the quarterfinals. Gasquet beat South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 4-6 7-6 (7/4) 7-5 6-4.

Nadal will tackle unseeded Sock who, at 22, is the youngest American to make the last-16 since Pete Sampras in 1993.

In the ladies, 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova powered into the last 16 yesterday, while Sloane Stephens revived flagging American hopes.

Kvitova, the fourth seed, outplayed Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania 6-3 6-2 in just 58 minutes. That was in stark contrast to her first two rounds that saw her grind out six sets and spend four minutes short of five hours on the court.

“I think it was for sure the best match which I played here so far, so I’m really glad for it,” Kvitova said.

Next up for Kvitova, who has managed only a single semifinal in Paris, in 2012, will be a fourth-round tie against Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky, who upset 16th seeded American Madison Keys 6-4 6-2.

Stephens, clawing her way back up the world rankings after an injury, saw off Bulgaria’s Tsevtana Pironkova 6-4 6-1, winning eight of the last nine games.

Serena Williams battled back from a set down to defeat Victoria Azarenka 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 and reach the last 16.

The 33-year-old American was staring defeat in the face at a set and 2-4 down in the second before finding her range.

Williams will next play Stephens for a place in the quarterfinals as she continues in search of a 20th grand slam title.

“Victoria played very well and I was struggling,” said the two-time champion Williams. “She won the first set and I said to myself ‘ allez, allez Serena, come on.’ ”

Also through to the last 16 in early play was Italian Sara Errani, who overcame Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-3 6-3.

There was disappointment, though, for another Italian, 2010 Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone, who lost 7-5 6-4 to Andreea Mitu of Romania. Her next opponent, with a quarterfinal slot at stake, will be Belgian Alison van Uytvanck, who ended the hopes of France’s Kristina Mladenovic 6-4 6-1. — AFP

I think it was for sure the best match which I played here so far, so I’m really glad for it