Swiatek, Svitolina cruise into French Open third round / Photo: Thomas SAMSON - AFP
Swiatek, Svitolina cruise into French Open third round
Four-time champion Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina both eased into the French Open third round with straight-sets wins on Wednesday, ahead of Novak Djokovic's match against Valentin Royer.
Swiatek, looking to regain the title she last won in 2024, saw off battling Czech youngster Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The third-seeded Pole will next face either fellow former winner Jelena Ostapenko or compatriot Magda Linette as she bids to preserve her record of having always reached the second week at Roland Garros.
"Usually the weather is quite different here, but it doesn't matter," said Swiatek after spending 93 minutes on court on another boiling hot day in Paris.
"It's going to change, I feel, in the second part of the tournament.
"So I guess this tournament is really about: whoever will cope with both of these conditions will win."
Swiatek is playing at a first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with Rafael Nadal's former coach Francisco Roig.
She is among the favourites for a seventh major title after impressing in a run to the Italian Open semi-finals earlier this month.
But she could next be facing a serious test in Latvian Ostapenko, against whom she has lost in all six of their previous meetings.
Svitolina, who beat Swiatek en route to the Rome title, beat world number 126 Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0, 6-4.
The Ukrainian seventh seed ended an eight-year wait for her fifth WTA 1000 trophy at the Italian Open to underline her credentials as a contender in Paris.
She struggled through her first-round tie, edging out Hungary's Anna Bondar in a deciding-set tie-break on Monday, before watching her husband Gael Monfils' final French Open match in the night session.
But Svitolina raced out of the blocks this time, quickly taking control against Quevedo.
The Spaniard competed better in the second set until a break in the ninth game helped Svitolina wrap up victory.
Svitolina, who reached her fourth career Slam semi-final earlier this year at the Australian Open, will next play Germany's Tamara Korpatsch, who made a major third round for the first time at the age of 31 by beating Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.
Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic eased into the last 32 for the third time, brushing aside Caty McNally 6-4, 6-0.
- Djokovic waiting -
Djokovic came from a set down in the first round against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard to keep his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title alive.
He next faces another home player in 74th-ranked Royer on Court Philippe Chatrier.
After opening his campaign in the night session on Sunday, the 39-year-old Djokovic will have to negotiate the hottest conditions of the day against Royer.
"Obviously playing a French player, centre court, Roland Garros, is never so easy, you know. Obviously the crowd gets into it, and then you feel the pressure even more," Djokovic said after his opening win.
Russian 13th seed Karen Khachanov came through a gruelling battle with Marco Trungelliti 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4).
He will play Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong, who backed up his win over Stan Wawrinka by defeating Federico Cina, for a last-16 berth on Friday.
Two-time former finalist Casper Ruud said he felt "like a zombie" at times during his first-round five-set marathon under the blazing Parisian sun.
With the heat showing no signs of abating, the Norwegian will be hoping for a shorter match later on Wednesday when he plays Serbian Hamad Medjedovic.
Kazakh world number two Elena Rybakina, seeking to win her second Grand Slam of the season, will meet Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Teenage stars Mirra Andreeva, Rafael Jodar and Joao Fonseca are all also in second-round action.
H.Papavasiliou--AN-GR
