Osaka, Djokovic cruise as all Chinese bow out in singles

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Naomi Osaka staged a second successive Roland Garros great escape on Thursday as fellow top seed Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams strolled into the last 32. However, all the Chinese players are officially out of the singles draw following the elimination of No. 16 seed Wang Qiang.

World number one Osaka, bidding to add the French Open to her U.S. and Australian Open titles, came back from a set and 2-4 down to defeat former world number one 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.

The 21-year-old kept her cool, despite squandering two match points late in the deciding set, to secure 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."

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.

Serena Williams won the French Open in 2002, 2013 and 2015. /VCG Photo

Three-time French Open champion Serena Williams thrashed Japanese qualifier, Kurumi Nara, to step up her bid for a record-equaling 24th Grand Slam title.

"I'm very serious when I play, but I'm happy," said Serena.

A mouthwatering quarter-final clash with Osaka, who famously beat Serena in a dramatic 2018 US Open final, remains a possibility.

Defending champion Simona Halep was also made to sweat, as she squandered three match points before getting past Magda Linette 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.

Big daddy Djokovic

Djokovic cruised into the last 32 for the 14th successive year, admitting it had been an emotional day playing for the first time in front of his four-year-old son.

Djokovic, bidding to become just the second man to hold all four Slams at the same time twice, cruised to a 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 win over Swiss lucky loser Henri Laaksonen.

Watching from the player's box on Court Suzanne Lenglen was Djokovic's son Stefan.

"It's a very special day for me as it's the first time in my life that I have played in front of my son," said the 32-year-old Serb after a 23rd straight win at the Slams.

Djokovic aims for his second Grand Slam title of 2019 after winning the Australian Open in January. /VCG Photo

"He showed incredible patience to sit there for an hour and a half. Usually, he's not that patient with tennis."

Djokovic goes on to face Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso, ranked 147, for a place in the last 16 in Paris.

Thursday was a lot more enjoyable for Djokovic than his last visit to Court Suzanne Lenglen in 2018 when he was knocked out in the quarter-finals by Marco Cecchinato.

Fourth seed Dominic Thiem overcame an entertaining challenge from Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik to reach the third round for the fourth straight year.

Fifth-seeded German Alexander Zverev, a quarter-finalist in 2018, easily disposed of Swedish qualifier Mikael Ymer 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).

Juan Martin del Potro, the Argentine eighth seed and a two-time semi-finalist, needed treatment on his right knee against Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka in a three-hour 46-minute thriller.

But he still ground out a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 win to progress, sending down 17 aces and 69 winners.

Wang Qiang stunned

No Chinese players remain in the women's singles draw following Wang Qiang's elimination at French Open second round on Thursday. /VCG Photo

Wang Qiang, the last Chinese player remaining in the singles draw, fell 6-3, 6-0 to Polish youngster Iga Swiatek.

"She played really well and aggressive, and could attack my balls," admitted Wang, adding that her 17-year-old opponent has the prospect of reaching top 10 in ranking if she keeps playing like that.

Following their Australian Open success earlier this year, China's Zhang Shuai and partner Samantha Stosur of Australia eased past Veronika Kudermetova and Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 6-0 into women's doubles second round.

Zhang's compatriot Xu Yifan, along with Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski, also marched on, but Chinese pairing of Jiang Xinyu and Wang Qiang slid away with a 6-2, 6-2 loss.

Yang Zhaoxuan triumphed in women's doubles first round with Polish partner Alicja Rosolska but lost her mixed doubles opener with Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina.

(With input from AFP, Xinhua)