Jannik Sinner put on a clinic at the French Open on Saturday, losing just three games and crushing Jiri Lehecka in 94 minutes to reach the fourth round in Paris.
The top-seeded Italian hasn’t dropped a set this week at Roland Garros and lost only nine points on serve in his 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 victory against his Czech opponent.
Sinner also extended his winning streak in Grand Slam matches to 17, including this year’s Australian Open and the 2024 U.S. Open.
“I was playing really really well,” said Sinner, who finished with 31 winners and just nine unforced errors. “Especially for two and a half sets, then he was serving very well, very brave. He made some good serve and volleys. But I’m very happy.”
Sinner has won 64 consecutive matches against players ranked outside the Top 20 and has advanced to at least the fourth round in 14 of his past 15 majors.
Up next for Sinner is 17th-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev, who advanced in a walkover when Frenchman Arthur Fils, the No. 14 seed, withdrew due to a back injury.
No. 6 Novak Djokovic had 33 winners and recorded his 99th career victory at Roland Garros with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic.
Djokovic, a three-time French Open champion, won 80.4 percent of his first-serve points. He committed just 14 unforced errors.
“I’ve played nine out of nine sets won,” Djokovic said afterward. “I was solid when I needed to be. … But credit to Filip for really coming up with some great points, great shots and really playing courageous tennis. I think he did surprise me a little bit with the level. Even though I know him and trained with him, I’ve never faced him in an official match. Kudos to him.”
“On my side, there’s always something to improve, something to get better at, but overall, I have to be pleased with the level of tennis so far.”
Djokovic next faces Cameron Norrie, who defeated fellow Brit Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-2. Djokovic is 5-0 all-time against Norrie, including a semifinal victory in Geneva last week.
No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany struck eight aces and saved three of five break points in a 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory against Italian Flavio Cobolli.
Zverev, who lost in the finals last year to Carlos Alcaraz, became just the eighth man in the Open Era to make eight or more consecutive appearances in the fourth round at Roland Garros. He is 37-9 in his career there.
“This court is very special to me,” Zverev said of Court Philippe-Chatrier. “I had some of the best memories of my life on this court, but I also had some of the worst memories on this court. It’s a love story that hasn’t got to the happy end yet, but I hope someday it will.”
Zverev’s quest for his first Grand Slam title will continue against the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor, who outlasted American qualifier Ethan Quinn 4-6, 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4.
No. 5 seed Jack Draper of Great Britain reached the fourth round in Paris for the first time with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win against Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca. Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik ousted Portugal’s Henrique Rocha 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.
–Field Level Media
