PARIS : The French Open third round continues on Saturday with Novak Djokovic headlining the night session, while world number one Jannik Sinner and top seeds including Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, Coco Gauff and Madison Keys are also in action.
TOP MEN’S MATCH: FILIP MISOLIC V NOVAK DJOKOVIC
Djokovic may have hoped to spend his Saturday night watching the soccer Champions League final between Paris St Germain and Inter Milan.
But tournament organisers had other plans with his third-round match against Austrian Misolic clashing with the final as they do their best to fill Court Philippe-Chatrier even though most Parisian eyes will be on Munich.
Djokovic, who turned 38 last week, was made to work hard by unseeded Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the previous round but the Serbian sixth seed, who also took a medical timeout, will hope to return to his fluent best when he takes on Misolic.
Having shut down talk of decline with his Geneva Open triumph — his 100th tour-level title — and winning both his matches at Roland Garros in straight sets, Djokovic will be the heavy favourite against Misolic in their first meeting.
TOP WOMEN’S MATCH: MADISON KEYS V SOFIA KENIN
Court Suzanne-Lenglen will play host to the battle of two Grand Slam champions in an all-American affair when Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, takes on Kenin, the 2020 winner at Melbourne Park.
Seventh seed Keys has a 3-1 winning record over Kenin. However, Kenin has won their only match on clay in Rome in 2019.
Kenin had reached a career-high number four in the world rankings after her Melbourne triumph and finished runner-up at the French Open later that season, before injuries, illness and off-court issues saw her drop to 235 in 2023.
The 26-year-old has since climbed back up the world rankings to number 30 and knocked out Victoria Azarenka in the previous round in straight sets.
TEENAGE SENSATION FONSECA PLOTS DRAPER UPSET
Joao Fonseca, arguably the most exciting young prospect in the men’s game, faces the toughest test of his French Open campaign when the 18-year-old Brazilian faces Draper on Court Simonne-Mathieu.
Until arriving at Roland Garros, Fonseca had never reached the third round at a Grand Slam.
But on Thursday, he took out local hope Pierre-Hugues Herbert to reach the third round, having also upset Polish 30th seed Hubert Hurkacz in his opener.
Fonseca, who has yet to drop a set at Roland Garros, will now hope his fine run of form and the backing of the vociferous crowd can lift him to an upset win over Indian Wells champion Draper.
FRENCH OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON SATURDAY (prefix number denotes seeding):
COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER (play begins at 1000 GMT)
Marketa Vondrousova (Czech Republic) v 3-Jessica Pegula (U.S.)
3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Flavio Cobolli (Italy)
Marie Bouzkova (Czech Republic) v 2-Coco Gauff (U.S.)
6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v Filip Misolic (Austria)
COURT SUZANNE-LENGLEN (play begins at 0900 GMT)
6-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v 32-Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Jiri Lehecka (Czech Republic)
17-Andrey Rublev (Russia) v 14-Arthur Fils (France)
7-Madison Keys (U.S.) v 31-Sofia Kenin (U.S.)
COURT SIMONNE-MATHIEU (play begins at 0900 GMT)
17-Daria Kasatkina (Australia) v 10-Paula Badosa (Spain)
Elsa Jacquemot (France) v Lois Boisson (France)
Joao Fonseca (Brazil) v 5-Jack Draper (Britain)
Cameron Norrie (Britain) v Jacob Fearnley (Britain)
