Novak Djokovic cut through the tie-break tension in style on Friday at Roland Garros, where the third seed overcame a fierce challenge from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to seal a 7-6(4), 7-6(5), 6-2 third-round victory.

The two-time champion Djokovic withstood a barrage of big hitting from the 29th seed Davidovich Fokina in two richly entertaining opening sets on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The Serbian then took control in the third set for a hard-earned three-hour, 36-minute victory.

“I knew it was going to be a very difficult match, a very physical match,” Djokovic said. “We played three hours for only two sets. He contested very well. He is an amazing fighter and an amazing player. He has very few weaknesses in his game. Congratulations to him for fighting. Bad luck, but he played a great match.”

Djokovic is now into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the 14th year in a row as he chases a record 23rd major trophy, as well as a return to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, this fortnight in Paris. His next opponent in the French capital will be 13th seed Hubert Hurkacz or Juan Pablo Varillas.

“A win is a win. The first two sets, three hours, I thought if I lose the second set, I will probably be playing five hours today,” Djokovic said. “You have to be ready. That is what Grand Slams are all about, playing best of five. You have to believe in yourself and make the most out of it. I am proud of the performance today.”

The match against Davidovich Fokina followed a similar pattern to Djokovic’s triumph over Marton Fucsovics in the second round. The Serbian won a tight tie-break in the opening set against the Hungarian before motoring away to clinch a straight-sets win.

Competing against the Spaniard on Friday, Djokovic twice fell a break of serve behind in a entertaining first set as Davidovich Fokina’s clean hitting pulled the Serbian all around Court Philippe-Chatrier. Djokovic reclaimed the break in the next game on both occasions, however, and the 36-year-old then raised his level in the tie-break, clinching the set with a stunning forehand return winner.

Any suggestion that disappointment would deflate Davidovich Fokina’s challenge was quickly dispelled as the Spaniard opened a 2-0 lead in the second set. Djokovic responded by reeling off four games to lead, but Davidovich Fokina, who defeated the Serbian on clay in Monte-Carlo last year, rallied to force a tie-break.

The World No. 3 found another gear in the tie-break, winning a series of lung-busting rallies to move further clear. Djokovic let out a roar after winning the set, raising his fist to the crowd in celebration. Djokovic, who is seeded to meet Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals, raced through the third set, clubbing 11 winners in the set to seal his 23rd win of the year.

Top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski continued their quest for their first major title as a team on Friday when they defeated Pedro Cachin and Wu Yibing 6-4, 6-2 at Roland Garros.

The Dutch-British pair won 92 per cent (23/25) of their first-serve points to advance after 70 minutes. Koolhof and Skupski won seven tour-level titles last season but are still seeking their first crown in 2023. They will meet Aleksandr Nedovyesov and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela in the third round.

Marcelo Melo, who earned his 600th tour-level doubles win earlier this week, and John Peers moved past Rome champions Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski 7-6(5), 6-4. They will next play Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury advanced after Roberto Carballes Baena and Jaume Munar were forced to retire when trailing 2-3 in the first set. Matwe Middelkoop and Andreas Mies defeated Jonathan Eysseric and Harold Mayot 7-5, 6-3.

Two-time champion Kevin Krawietz maintained his impressive Roland Garros record when he teamed with Tim Puetz to down Roman Arneodo and Sam Weissborn 6-4, 6-2.

Last year’s finalists Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek beat Marc-Andrea Huesler and Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-2 to reach the third round. Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen also advanced, defeating Roman Jebavy and Luis David Martinez 6-1, 6-2.

Defending Roland Garros champions Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer cruised into the third round in Paris on Thursday with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Nicolas Barrientos and Robert Galloway.

The third seeds were forced to battle in the first round against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Petros Tsitsipas, whom they ultimately outlasted in a final-set tie-break. Their second-round clash was more straightforward — they did not face a break point.

Arevalo and Rojer will next play 13th seeds Jamie Murray and Michael Venus, who defeated Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-1, 7-5. Venus won the Roland Garros title in 2017 alongside Ryan Harrison.

In other second-round action, fifth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara squeaked by Ilya Ivashka and Alexei Popyrin 7-6(3), 7-5. Tenth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos ousted Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 6-0, 6-3.

Seventh seeds Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski, this year’s Australian Open finalists, beat home hopes Richard Gasquet and Lucas Pouille 6-4, 6-2.

In a first-round match, 12th seeds Matwe Middelkoop and Andreas Mies eliminated Alexander Bublik and Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-1.

Is this the fortnight Alexander Zverev wins his first major title?

The German maintained his impressive record at Roland Garros on Thursday when he cruised past Slovakian Alex Molcan 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 to reach the third round for the seventh time.

In a dominant display, Zverev opened his shoulders to hit through Molcan, striking 42 winners in the night session on Court Philippe-Chatrier to advance after one hour and 58 minutes in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

Zverev is a two-time semi-finalist in Paris, having suffered a right ankle injury against Rafael Nadal in the last four last year. Twelve months on and the 26-year-old is fully fit and firing again at Roland Garros, where he will meet Frances Tiafoe in the third round. The 12th-seeded American downed Madrid semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the third round for the third time.

Zverev, who defeated Lloyd Harris in straight sets in his first-round match, now holds a 25-7 record at Roland Garros. Earlier this season, the 22nd seed reached semi-finals on hard in Dubai and on clay in Geneva.

Taylor Fritz defeated Arthur Rinderknech, the last remaining Frenchman in the singles draw, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to equal his best result at Roland Garros.

The American, who is making his seventh apperance in Paris, hit cleanly throughout the two-hour, 50-minute clash to seal his 31st tour-level win of the season.

The ninth seed Fritz next meets Francisco Cerundolo. The Argentine overcame German lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

In other second-round action, Borna Coric clawed past Argentine Pedro Cachin 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The Croatain Coric, who is 9-4 on clay this season, will next meet another Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Etcheverry defeated Australian Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3.

Third-round action commences on Friday at Roland Garros, where Top 5 stars Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas continue their title quests at the clay-court major.

ATPTour.com previews some of the best third-round matchups to watch in the top half of the singles draw on Day 6 in Paris.

[1] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [26] Denis Shapovalov (CAN)

Top seed Alcaraz found his range during his opening two matches, defeating Flavio Cobolli in straight sets before he moved past Taro Daniel in four. Chasing his second major title this fortnight, the 20-year-old will face his toughest test yet when he takes on the 26th Denis Shapovalov for the first time.

Possessing an explosive game, the Canadian has the ability to hit through Alcaraz, who will look to use his variety to disrupt the 24-year-old. Shapovalov struck a combined 88 winners in his victories against Brandon Nakashima and Matteo Arnaldi earlier this week to reach the third round in Paris for the first time. He was full of praise for Alcaraz when asked about the Spaniard ahead of their meeting.

“I’m a huge, huge fan of his,” Shapovalov said. “He’s super humble for achieving what he has at such a young age. You can see how much he enjoys being on the court and the situations that are coming to him. He is not in an easy spot being No. 1 and so young and with so much noise around him. I really look up to him.”

Alcaraz, who advanced to the quarter-finals last year, takes a 32-3 season record into the Court Philippe-Chatrier night session match.

[3] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [29] Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)

Djokovic has not put a foot wrong in his chase for a record 23rd major title in Paris so far, defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic and Marton Fucsovics in straight sets. Next up is Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who stunned the World No. 3 on clay in Monte-Carlo last year.

Djokovic will be required to absorb Davidovich Fokina’s firepower on Court Philippe-Chatrier if he is to continue his title pursuit in Paris, where he has triumphed in 2016 and 2021. The 36-year-old Serbian is chasing a double prize at Roland Garros, where a title run would lift him back to No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

The focus will be fully on Davidovich Fokina for now, though, with Djokovic taking a 2-1 ATP Head2Head series lead into the clash.

[5] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Diego Schwartzman (ARG)

Former finalist Tsitsipas will renew his rivalry with Diego Schwartzman when they meet in the third round. The Greek, who lost in the title match against Djokovic in 2021, leads Schwartzman 4-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, but the Argentine heads into the match with confidence.

The 30-year-old Schwartzman arrived in Paris holding a 5-14 record on the season, but the 2020 semi-finalist has re-found his level this week, defeating Bernabe Zapata Miralles and Nuno Borges. Tsitsipas, who is seeking his maiden major title and first crown of the season, will aim to end Schwartzman’s resurgence on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Also In Action…

Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev also take to court on Friday, facing Thanasi Kokkinakis and Lorenzo Sonego, respectively. Australian Kokkinakis earned his first five-set victory since 2015 when he clawed past Stan Wawrinka in a Roland Garros second-round epic.

The 14th seed Cameron Norrie plays 17th seed Lorenzo Musetti on Court Simonne-Mathieu, while 13th seed Hubert Hurkacz takes on Juan Pablo Varillas.

After five hours and 26 minutes of brutal hitting, Jannik Sinner’s European clay swing came to an end on Thursday when he fell in five sets against Daniel Altmaier at Roland Garros.

Sinner was disappointed with his second-round defeat but was keen to focus on the bigger picture.

“I had my opportunities. I couldn’t find a right way how to win the points,” said Sinner, who squandered two match points in the fourth set. “I was a little bit unfortunate at some points. But this is the sport. I will come back stronger.

“I knew it was a tough last two tournaments. I put a little bit too much expectations or pressure [on myself], it’s part of the game. I feel like the season is going good. I played a lot of matches… It is a tough one to swallow, but I [will] keep going.”

Sinner leaves Roland Garros holding an 8-3 record on clay in 2023. The eighth seed advanced to the semi-finals in Monte-Carlo but struggled to find his best level in Paris and Rome, where he lost in the fourth round.

The Italian withdrew from Barcelona last month due to injury, but insisted physical issues did not play an impact on his early exit in Paris.

“I felt very prepared for here. Mentally I felt good. Physically we were working hard,” Sinner said. “Long, long practice sessions. It’s tough when you work so hard and you don’t take the reward. But this is not a sprint. This sport is a marathon. I will keep going with the hard work, and I will also get my rewards. This was, it’s a tough one, yes, but it doesn’t end here.”

Sinner heads to the grass fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, holding a 29-8 record on the season. The Italian, who reached the Miami final, admitted qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals is a key goal of his.

“This year we set a goal to go to Turin,” Sinner said. “Also, a little bit you have to watch out for the results, but I also feel like I have lots of things where I can improve still.”