South Africa’s Kevin Anderson set up a last-16 clash with Diego Schwartzman after defeating Mischa Zverev at Roland-Garros.
It looked like Anderson was in for an easy afternoon after breaking Zverev’s serve twice to take the opener 6-1, but Zverev fought back to take the second in a tie-break. Anderson had to save a break point in the first game of the third, but that was the only time he was troubled; he broke Zverev’s serve in the eighth game and held serve to take the third 6-3.
Anderson failed to convert a break point in the fourth, which also went to a tie-break, but this time he prevailed. His 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory sets up a clash against the 11th-seeded Schwartzman.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal made light work of Richard Gasquet, defeating him in just two hours to make his way into the last 16. Nadal raced to a 5-0 lead in the first before Gasquet finally won a game on his own serve; he won the next two as well to bring the score back to 5-3. Nadal won the next game to take the set 6-3.
The second followed the same pattern as the first as Nadal broke twice to take a 4-0 lead. There were no further breaks of serve as the Spaniard closed the set out 6-2. The third was a carbon copy of the second – Nadal once again raced out to a 4-0 lead before Gasquet finally got on the board. Nadal took the third for a dominant 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory. He will face the unseeded German Maximilian Marterer in the last 16.
On the women’s side, world No 1 Simona Halep had a good battle against Andrea Petkovic in the first set. Both women had multiple breaks of serve, but Halep had one extra to take the first set 7-5. The second set was a complete mismatch as Halep broke Petkovic three times to win the set in a 33-minute 6-0 crushing. She will face Elise Mertens in the last 16.
Two-time Roland-Garros champion Maria Sharapova sent out a message of intent with an emphatic 6-2, 6-1 victory over No 6 seed Karolina Pliskova to book her spot in the fourth round. It took the Russian just 59 minutes to win this one-sided affair. Sharapova will face Serena Williams in the next round.
Other selected men’s results:
Marin Cilic defeated Steve Johnson 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
David Goffin defeated Gael Monfils 6-7 (6), 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3
Fabio Fognini defeated Kyle Edmund 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4,
Juan-Martin del Potro defeated Albert Ramos 7-5, 6-4, 6-1
Other selected women’s results:
Garbine Muguruza defeated Sam Stosur 6-0, 6-2.
Serena Williams defeated Julia Goerges 6-3, 6-4
Caroline Garcia defeated Irina Begu 6-1, 6-4
Angelique Kerber defeated Kiki Bertens 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4)
