World number one Novak Djokovic stormed to his 70th win at Roland Garros on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis while ninth seed Denis Shapovalov crashed out following a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 loss to Roberto Carballes Baena.
The top seed went level with Roger Federer for career victories at the tournament, still 25 behind Rafael Nadal’s all-time best.
Djokovic, the 2016 champion, and chasing an 18th Grand Slam title, will face Colombian lucky loser Daniel Elahi Galan, ranked 153, for a place in the last 16.
“It was difficult for Ricardas in the third set as he had an injury and couldn’t move very well,” said Djokovic whose quickfire 83-minute win was eased by his opponent needing treatment on a back injury after the second set.
“But I felt good just as I did in the first round and I want to continue like that.”
Victory stretched his 2020 record to 33-1, his only defeat coming via disqualification from the US Open.
Shapovalov committed 106 unforced errors as Spanish world number 101 Carballes Baena prevailed after a five-hour battle on Court Suzanne Lenglen to set up a clash with 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov.
Shapovalov, who reached the quarter-finals of the US Open, twice served for the match in the final set at 5-4 and 6-5 but was broken three times in succession.
“It’s a dream for me to win a match like this on this court,” said Carballes Baena, 27, after advancing to the third round of a major for the first time.
“Shapovalov is very good but I did a very good match.”
Dimitrov downed Slovakia’s Andrej Martin 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 to reach the third round for a fourth successive year.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who made the fourth round last year, downed claycourt specialist Pablo Cuevas 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 having needed to come back from two sets down against Jaume Munar in his opener.
Next up for Tsitsipas is Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, the world number 56.
Thiago Monteiro became the first player from Brazil to make the men’s third round in Paris on Thursday since Thomaz Bellucci in 2011 after beating Marcos Giron 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-1.
More results to follow
Results so far
Second Round
Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2
Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3
Christian Garín (CHI x20) bt Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
Karen Khachanov (RUS x15) bt Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/2)
Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x10) bt Attila Balazs (HUN) 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x17) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1
Daniel Altmaier (GER) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER x30) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3
Matteo Berrettini (ITA x7) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 7-5
Thiago Monteiro (BRA) bt Marcos Giron (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-1
Kevin Anderson (RSA) bt Dusan Lajovic (SRB x22) 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3
Andrey Rublev (RUS x13) bt Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1
Roberto Carballes Baena (ESP) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x9) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) bt Andrej Martin (SVK) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt Nikola Milojevic (SRB) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4)
Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
With AFP Inputs
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