Highlights of French Open fourth day
PARIS (Reuters) - Highlights from day four of the French Open tennis championships on Wednesday (all times GMT):
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2018 Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov celebrates winning his second round match against Jared Donaldson of the U.S. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
1810 STEPHENS ROLLS INTO THIRD ROUND
U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens moved into the third round with a comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech.
The American struck 17 winners and never faced a break point in a one-sided match lasting just over an hour.
1745 WOZNIACKI SENDS GARCIA PEREZ PACKING
Second seed Caroline Wozniacki produced a ruthless display to beat Spain’s Georgina Garcia Perez 6-1 6-0 in 51 minutes.
1650 DIMITROV OUTLASTS DONALDSON
Fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov secured a decisive break in the 17th game of the final set to beat American Jared Donaldson 6-7(2) 6-4 4-6 6-4 10-8 in the second round.
It was the Bulgarian’s 50th Grand Slam match-win as he matched his best Roland Garros performance by reaching the third round for the third time.
1630 NISHIKORI BREAKS FRENCH HEARTS
Japan’s Kei Nishikori battled past home favorite Benoit Paire 6-3 2-6 4-6 6-2 6-3 to book a third round spot after three hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
1615 ZVEREV SURVIVES SCARE
World number three Alexander Zverev survived a scare from unseeded Dusan Lajovic to beat the Serb 2-6 7-5 4-6 6-1 6-2 in the second round.
It was the German’s 32nd win of the season and he will face Bosnian Damir Dzumhur for a place in the last 16.
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 30, 2018 General view of Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in action during her second round match against Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova REUTERS/Christian Hartmann
1600 GOFFIN CRUISES THROUGH
Eighth seed Belgian David Goffin produced a clinical display to reach the third round for a fourth straight year, defeating Frenchman Corentin Moutet 7-5 6-0 6-1.
1515 DOUBLES DELIGHT FOR WILLIAMS SISTERS
Serena and Venus Williams won their first doubles match together since lifting the 2016 Wimbledon title, defeating Japanese pair Shuko Aoyama and Miyu Kato 4-6 6-4 6-1 in the opening round.
1355 KEYS OUTPLAYS DOLEHIDE
American Madison Keys, seeded 13th, struck 21 winners on her way to a 6-4 6-1 second-round victory over compatriot Caroline Dolehide.
1330 DJOKOVIC BOOKS THIRD ROUND SPOT
Former champion Novak Djokovic continued his steady progress with a 7-6(1) 6-4 6-4 victory over Spain’s Jaume Munar. The Serb extending his winning run to 17 matches against qualifiers at Grand Slam events.
He will make his 13th third round appearance at Roland Garros against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Colombian Santiago Giraldo 6-4 7-5 6-3.
1315 CHARDY STUNS BERDYCH IN FIVE-SET THRILLER
Local favorite Jeremy Chardy recovered well in the final set to beat 17th seed Tomas Berdych 7-6(5) 7-6(8) 1-6 5-7 6-2 in a rain-delayed second round encounter.
World number 86 Chardy will meet fellow Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert for a place in the last-16.
1250 SVITOLINA HAILS HOME SUPPORT
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina hopes Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko’s interest in tennis could boost the sport’s development in her home country.
Slideshow (2 Images)
Poroshenko last week congratulated Svitolina on Twitter following her Italian Open triumph.
“It’s very nice of him that he follows the sport,” Svitolina told reporters. “And hopefully, we’re going to now have not only attention but also maybe someone could invest some money into Ukrainian tennis for our juniors, for our upcoming generation.
“You know, I know that our federation is also working really hard to build the center where juniors and the small girls and boys can train.”
1230 CARRENO BUSTA BATTLES PAST DELBONIS
Pablo Carreno Busta’s nifty movement and measured approach proved decisive in a 7-6(0) 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4 win over Federico Delbonis of Argentina.
The 10th-seeded Spaniard will next face Italian Marco Cecchinato for a place in the last-16.
1110 HALEP PREVAILS
World number one Simona Halep, chasing a maiden Grand Slam title, secured a 2-6 6-1 6-1 win over American Alison Riske in the opening round.
Romanian Halep, twice runner-up at Roland Garros, will next face American Taylor Townsend, who is ranked 72 in the world.
1045 OSAKA MARCHES ON
Japan’s Naomi Osaka, seeded 21st, booked a place in the third round with a 6-4 7-5 win over Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan.
1035 SVITOLINA ADVANCES
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina, who has won three WTA titles so far this season, progressed to the third round with an impressive 6-3 6-4 win over Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia.
1020 KVITOVA EASES INTO THIRD ROUND
Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova produced a sublime performance to beat Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena 6-0 6-4 in the second round.
The 28-year-old Czech, seeded eighth, struck 27 winners and converted five break-point opportunities to wrap up the match in just over an hour.