Top seed Naomi Osaka staged a second successive Roland Garros great escape while Serena Williams put her nervy start behind her by thrashing Japanese qualifier Kurumi Nara to reach the French Open third round on Thursday.
The 37-year-old 10th seed cruised into the third round with a 6-3, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The world No 1, bidding to add the French Open to her US and Australian Open titles, came back from a set and 2-4 down to defeat former world No 1 Victoria Azarenka 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Her win came on the back of being just two points from defeat in her tournament opener against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
Amanda Anisimova became the youngest American woman since Serena Williams in 1999 to make the third round when the 17-year-old defeated Belarus’ 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-2.
Fellow 17-year-old Iga Swiatek of Poland also reached the last 32, seeing off Chinese 16th seed Wang Qiang.
The 21-year-old Osaka held her nerve, despite squandering two match points late in the deciding set, to secure her place in the third round and a clash against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.
“I was lucky to have played Victoria twice before. I knew she had been playing well coming into the tournament,” said Osaka. “It was an unfortunate second round draw for me so I am happy to win.”
Osaka finished the two-hour 50-minute encounter on Court Suzanne Lenglen with 52 winners and 43 unforced errors. She becomes the first top seed to win her two opening matches at Roland Garros after losing the first set since Lindsay Davenport in 2005.
“I didn’t push enough through so I have to learn from that but I have to take positives from the match,” said 29-year-old Azarenka.
“She deserves to be where she is – she is very powerful and explosive.”
Siniakova, the world number 42, also endured a marathon win, putting out Greek 29th seed Maria Sakkari 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (8/10), 6-3 in a three-hour 10-minute duel.
Siniakova had trailed 1-5 in the first set before surrendering a 5/2 lead in the second-set tiebreaker.
Williams will face Sofia Kenin for a last-16 spot, after her fellow American received a walkover following Canadian Bianca Andreescu’s withdrawal through injury.
“I’m very serious when I play, but I’m happy,” she said.
Williams was back at her best on Thursday, hammering 10 aces and 36 winners past Nara as she looks to draw level with Margaret Court’s all-time record of major singles titles.
Her last Grand Slam trophy came at the 2017 Australian Open before taking a break from the sport to give birth to her daughter Alexis Olympia.
World number 238 Nara, who stands a mere 5ft 1in (1.55m), showed some early resistance in a marathon sixth game that featured nine deuces, saving six break points to leave her illustrious opponent frustrated.
But 10th seed Williams did break in Nara’s next service game, powering a forehand return past the world number 238, before serving out the opening set with ease.
The match was as good as over as a serious contest just three games into the second set, when Williams took advantage of her third break point to claim a 2-1 lead.
And Williams cantered through as Nara wilted, sealing the win on her second match point with an ace.
A mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Naomi Osaka, who famously beat Williams in a dramatic 2018 US Open final, remains a possibility after the world number one’s thrilling three-set win over Victoria Azarenka.
Results
With AFP inputs
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