Paris, May 31: Defending champion Novak Djokovic was very briefly made to work hard by unseeded Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena before sealing a routine 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 victory and motoring into the French Open third round on Thursday.Djokovic has been some way from his convincing best in an erratic season where he is bidding to win a record 25th Grand Slam title and the top-seeded Serbian was dragged into a battle by Carballes Baena after recovering an early break.
Having nosed ahead on serve in the ninth game, the 37-year-old Djokovic set up break point with a big overhead smash after a 24-shot rally and pounced to take the first set as spectators on Court Philippe Chatrier sensed a return to a more familiar level.
Djokovic moved up a few notches in the next set for a 4-0 lead before his 31-year-old opponent even got on the board and the three-times Roland Garros champion tightened his vice-like grip on the contest in double quick time.
The pair’s previous two encounters were both at hardcourt majors but the outcome was no different on Parisian clay as Djokovic sauntered ahead 5-1 in the third set and wrapped up the victory.
World number four Alexander Zverev reached the third round with a 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-2 victory over experienced Belgian David Goffin, three days after beating Rafael Nadal.
The German, seeking to win his first French Open after making the semi-finals in the last three years, had to work hard to win the first-set tiebreak and broke early in the second.
Former quarter-finalist Goffin nearly claimed Zverev’s serve in the fourth game but the German held firm, mixing up his strokes well to close out the match in straight sets.
“I was happy that I ran away with it but also happy that I played well,” said Zverev, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the 2022 French Open semis.
The two men had already met five times before at tour level, including four times on clay, with Zverev leading by three wins to two.
Former world number seven Goffin said the contest was tough with the German firing down serves and playing well from the baseline.
Zverev, who is now on an eight-match winning streak after claiming the Rome title, will next face Italian Luciano Darderi or Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.