French Open 2015: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Rafa stay on collision course

Paris: Grand Slam old guard Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray put next generation hopefuls Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios firmly in their place on Saturday with comfortable French Open third round wins. World No.1 and top seed Djokovic reached the last-16 for the sixth straight year with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over 19-year-old Kokkinakis. Third-seeded Murray, twice a semifinalist in Paris, cruised to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Kokkinakis’s 20-year-old Australian compatriot Kyrgios.

Later, defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 win over Russian world no. 120 Andrey Kuznetsov. Nadal, chasing a 10th Roland Garros title, will tackle Jack Sock of the United States for a place in the quarterfinals. Djokovic, bidding for a first Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam, will face either South African 15th seed Kevin Anderson or French 20th seed Richard Gasquet for a place in the quarterfinals.

Marin Cilic, the ninth-seeded US Open champion, eased past Leonardo Mayer, the Argentine 23rd seed, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and will take on either 2013 runner-up David Ferrer or Simone Bolelli for a quarterfinal slot.

Kvitova finds form
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova powered into the pre-quarterfinals, finally finding her form after earlier struggles at Roland Garros. The fourth seed from the Czech Republic outplayed Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2 in just 58 minutes, taking the last five games at a canter. That was in stark contrast to her first two rounds that saw her grind out six sets and spend just four minutes short of five hours on the court.

Also through to the last 16 in early play was Italian Sara Errani, losing finalist in 2012, who gained revenge on Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-3, 6-3. Petkovic ousted Errani at Roland Garros last year at the quarterfinal stage before losing in the semis. There was disappointment though for another Italian, 2010 Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone losing 7-5, 6-4 to Andreea Mitu of Romania.