French Open: Djokovic on course for record Grand Slam, Sinner, Draper also through
Novak Djokovic continued his march towards a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam win as the three-time champion battled past Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-2 7-6(1).
The French Open first week continued on Thursday as several matches were played across the men's and women's sections as the second Grand Slam of the season heads towards the second and final week.
Novak Djokovic continued his march towards a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam win as the three-time champion battled past Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-2 7-6(1) in a match that lasted more than three hours on Thursday, to reach the French Open third round.
Djokovic was given a stiff examination by his counterpart, who gave his all in the match and the Serb was relieved to get past the challenge.
"Mentally, you have to be concentrated throughout such a match. Corentin is very quick, he is a fighter, especially in the third set," Djokovic told the BBC in a post-match interview.
He will next face either Canada's Denis Shapovalov or Austrian Filip Misolic in round three.
Gael Monfils said he saw no shame in losing to British player Jack Draper as he exited his home tournament on Thursday.
The 38-year-old Frenchman at one point threatened the sort of comeback that has been his Roland Garros trademark before losing 6-3 4-6 6-3 7-5 to the fifth-seeded Briton in a late-night thriller on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Jannik Sinner ended the retiring Richard Gasquet's career with a one-sided victory at the French Open on Thursday.
Women's second seed and former finalist Coco Gauff booked a place in the last 32, after 18-year-old contender Mirra Andreeva cruised through.
Third seed Alexander Zverev bounced back from losing the first set in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 win over Dutchman Jesper de Jong. The German, who lost last year's final to Alcaraz in five sets, will next face Italian Flavio Cobolli on Saturday for a last-16 berth.
Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca reached the third round of a Grand Slam event for the first time with a straight-sets win against French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
He will play Draper in the next round.
Elsewhere, Carlos Alcaraz bids to book his place in the French Open last 16 on Friday, with defending women's champion Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka also in third-round action at Roland Garros.
