PARIS: Roger Federer breezed into the third round of the French Open for the 15th time on Wednesday by seeing off German lucky loser Oscar Otte, while 11-time champion Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas also progressed.

The 37-year-old Federer held off a persistent world number 144 Otte, saving all four break points he faced in a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 win on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Next up for the 20-time Grand Slam title winner is a clash with Norway’s Casper Ruud who put out Italian 29th seed Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.

Federer’s only French Open trophy came in 2009, and 10 years on he faces a daunting task to grab a second, potentially needing to beat Tsitsipas, Nadal and world number one Novak Djokovic in order to come out on top.

He was on his game against Otte, though, breaking once in each set and serving strongly.

Nadal continued the strong start to his bid for a record-extending 12th title with a comfortable victory over German qualifier Yannick Maden.

The 32-year-old Nadal was in near total control against world number 114 Maden bar some nervy moments in the third set, winning 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

The 17-time major champion next faces Belgium’s David Goffin after the 27th seed eased past Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.

The Spaniard wasted little time in wrapping up the first two sets on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Maden may have briefly allowed himself to dream of an outrageous upset when he twice broke to level at 3-3 and then 4-4 in the third set, but Nadal put him back in his place with two quick games to seal victory.

Greek star Tsitsipas did not have things all his own way against Bolivia’s Hugo Dellien on Court Simonne Mathieu, but managed to grind out a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 victory on his fourth match point.

The sixth seed, who beat Federer en route to the Australian Open semi-finals earlier this year, will take on Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic in his maiden appearance in the third round.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori, seeded seventh, shook off a slow start to topple local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in a little over three hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka showed that he can not be ruled out of contention with an impressive 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 success against in-form Chilean Cristian Garin.

The Swiss will play either Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov or former US Open winner Marin Cilic next.

Frenchman Nicolas Mahut followed up his five-set first-round victory over eighth seed Marco Cecchinato with a superb 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Philipp Kohlschreiber. The world number 252 fired 41 winners to blast past his German opponent.

Ukrainian Elina Svitolina will face 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza in the women’s third round after the ninth seed’s compatriot Kateryna Kozlova pulled out of the tournament before their match with a viral infection.

Spain’s Muguruza, seeded 19th this year, eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Swede Johanna Larsson to advance.

Second seed Karolina Pliskova also clinched a straight-sets win in round two, beating Slovakia’s Kristina Kucova 6-2, 6-2 to set up a tie with Croatian 31st seed Petra Martic.

But fourth seed Kiki Bertens retired from her second-round match against Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova due to illness while trailing 3-1 in the opening set. Dutchwoman Bertens was one of the pre-tournament favourites, having won the Madrid Open title this month.

Last year’s runner-up Sloane Stephens cruised through with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) win over Sara Sorribes Tormo on Court Philippe Chatrier.

The former US Open champion, who lost to Simona Halep in the 2018 French Open final, will play Slovenia’s Polona Hercog next after she edged out American Jennifer Brady 6-3, 6-7 (8-10), 6-4.

Seventh seed Stephens has now reached at least the third round at Roland Garros on each of her last seven visits to the French capital.

World number 20 Elise Mertens was at her clinical best as she thumped France’s 16-year-old wildcard Diane Parry 6-1, 6-3.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2019