Djokovic reaches third round of French Open

Novak Djokovic pushed through to the third round at the French Open for the 13th time in his career on Wednesday, notching a straight sets win over Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar, 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-4.

Munar, who is ranked No. 155 in the world, showed flashes of brilliance in the match and forced Djokovic to make spectacular shots and returns throughout.

Djokovic, seeded 20th, now faces Spanish 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Djokovic said after the match he was frustrated by his own level of play and felt he didn’t play with enough confidence. However, he said there is no concern the elbow injury that knocked him out of action earlier in the year will be an issue.

France’s Jeremy Chardy knocked off Tomas Berdych in five sets in a match postponed Tuesday by rain.

Italian Marco Cecchinato ended Argentinian fan favorite Marco Trungelliti’s epic journey. Registered as a last-minute lucky loser after a 10-hour drive from Barcelona to Paris with his brother, mother and grandmother, Trungelliti knocked off Bernard Tomic in the first round. He lost in round two to Cecchinato, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-1.

Halep rallies, Wozniacki cruises at French Open

World No. 1 Simona Halep had to wait an extra day, but managed to start her French Open campaign with a win.

Caroline Wozniacki, ranked second, had a much easier time on Wednesday in Paris.

Halep’s match against American Alison Riske was postponed Tuesday night and she started in a hole after dropping the first set on Wednesday. Halep quickly recovered, however, and the Romanian went on to a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory.

“It was good that I came back so strong,” Halep said, via the WTA’s website. “I just didn’t think about the result or about the match. I just wanted to relax my arms, because I was moving pretty well also at the beginning, but my arm was very tight and I couldn’t hit the ball as I wanted.

“Then it was much easier, and I felt really well in the end of the match, and that’s the most important for now.”

Wozniacki, the Dane who can regain No. 1 if she wins the title at Roland Garros, beat Spanish qualifier Georgina Garcia Perez 6-1, 6-0 in just 50 minutes to reach the third round.

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, seeded fourth and a two-time quarterfinalist in Paris, enjoyed a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova. The 20-year-old Kuzmova was making her French Open debut and impressed her opponent.

“She was playing really aggressive and not dropping her level. I think for young girl as her, it was a really, really good level,” Svitolina said.

Reigning U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens and runner-up Madison Keys also continued their winning ways.

The 13th-seeded Keys beat fellow American Caroline Dolehide 6-4, 6-1 and 10th-seeded Stephens cruised against Polish qualifier Magdalena Frech 6-2, 6-2.

Eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic rolled to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena. The red-hot Kvitova has won a tour-best four titles this season.

In doubles action, Venus and Serena Williams fell behind early but eventually knocked off No.14 seeds Shuko Aoyama and Miyu Kato of Japan, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the American sisters’ first doubles action at a Grand Slam in two years.