PARIS: Top seed Novak Djokovic barely broke sweat in reaching the French Open third round with a 6-1 6-2 6-2 thrashing of outclassed Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis yesterday.
Some rare sunshine bathed the Court Phillipe Chatrier but it was dull viewing for the few spectators allowed in to watch the 33-year-old glide effortlessly through.
The opening set was done and dusted in 22 minutes as Djokovic won the last 10 points and the second set was only marginally more competitive.
Berankis, ranked 66th, needed courtside treatment on his back before the start of the third set but got back to his feet to endure more punishment from the clinical Serb.
Djokovic, bidding for his second French Open crown and 18th Grand Slam title, has dropped 10 games in two rounds so far and occasionally looked bored yesterday, taking the opportunity to practise his drop shot on numerous occasions.
He finished it off after only 83 minutes with his 10th ace.
It was a carbon copy of the pair’s only other Grand Slam clash when Berankis also managed only five games, at the 2013 US Open.
It was Djokovic’s 70th victory at the French Open, moving him into joint second place on the all-time list with Roger Federer.
Fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas produced a clinical performance to outclass Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 6-1 6-4 6-2 and advance to the third round.
The 22-year-old Greek needed over three hours to rally from two sets down and beat little-known Spaniard Jaume Munar in round one and he could not have hoped for an easier second match.
In the women’s draw, former champion Jelena Ostapenko ousted second seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4 6-2 in the second round after her Czech opponent produced a performance riddled with mistakes.
Latvian Ostapenko, who won the 2017 title as an unseeded player, remained solid throughout and did not allow a sluggish-looking Pliskova to get a foothold in the match.
Former champion Garbine Muguruza breezed into the third round with a routine 6-3 6-2 victory over Czech Kristyna Pliskova.
It was a welcome stroll on court Suzanne Lenglen for 2016 winner Muguruza, who had fought for three hours in her opening match and needed just over an hour to see off Pliskova.
Former runner-up Sloane Stephens was dumped out of the tournament when she lost 6-4 4-6 6-2 to Paula Badosa of Spain in the second round.
The American 29th seed, a finalist at Roland Garros two years ago, was rarely in the mix on court 12, her comeback to one-set all proving to be a false dawn.
American fourth seed Sofia Kenin ran into a spot of bother before reaching the third round with a 3-6 6-3 6-2 victory against Romanian Anna Bogdan.
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