Stan Wawrinka through to French Open third round
Wednesday 25 May 2016 16:56, UK
Defending French Open champion Stan Wawrinka avoided a repeat of his first-round scare as he secured a straight sets victory over Japan's Taro Daniel on Wednesday.
The Swiss No 3 seed was made to work hard for his win, though, before eventually sealing a 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 6-4 success on a sunny Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Wawrinka required five sets to edge past Lukas Rosol in the opening round and he was on the back foot in the first set against Daniel, where he had to save two set points before taking it on a tie-break.
He dominated the second set but was a break down in the third before finishing in style to book a third round clash against French No 30 seed Jeremy Chardy.
"I'm very satisfied after a tough first match and happy to be through in straight sets," said Wawrinka. "I managed to be tougher with myself in the key moments. All in all I stayed focused on what I had to do."
Daniel's compatriot Kei Nishikori has advanced at Roland Garros after he defeated Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3 6-3 6-3.
Fifth seed Nishikori suffered an early setback when he was broken in the third game of the match when he drove a forehand long.
He recovered to break back quickly with a rasping backhand to finish off a fierce 24-stroke rally before securing the opening set with a further break of serve.
World No 40 Kuznetsov then gifted Nishikori a break in the fifth game of the second set before moving 5-2 ahead with a succession of powerful ground strokes.
A lapse in concentration allowed Kuznetsov to break back but that his opponent responded immediately, breaking the Russian's serve in the next game with a sweetly struck forehand winner.
Nishikori eased through the third set without ever having top hit top gear and sealed the win with another stunning backhand pass.
Next up for Nishikori is a meeting Spain's Fernando Verdasco, who beat Croatia's Ivan Dodig 6-2 6-1 6-3.
Meanwhile, 37-year-old Croatian Ivo Karlovic created history as he became the oldest male player to reach the third round at a Grand Slam since Jimmy Connors achieved the feat at the 1991 US Open.
American Connors was 39 when he progressed to the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows that year.
Karlovic, seeded No 27 in Paris, sent down 41 aces on his way to an epic 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (4-7) 12-10 win over Australian wild-card entry Jordan Thompson, including three in the final game. He now faces Britain's Andy Murray.
