Title favourites Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina ease into French Open third round

World No 1 beats Claire Liu 6-4, 6-0 while Wimbledon champion defeats Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3

Iga Swiatek during her win over Claire Liu at the French Open in Paris on June 1, 2023. AFP

Two of the French Open title favourites are safely through to the third round after Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina both secured comfortable straight-set wins on Thursday.

World No 1 and defending champion Swiatek defeated American Claire Liu 6-4, 6-0, while fourth seed and Wimbledon winner Rybakina eased past Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3.

Swiatek, who also won last year's US Open, made it back-to-back straight-set wins in Paris and sealed victory in style by winning every game in a dominant second-set display against her 102nd-ranked opponent. She will play China's Wang Xiyu next.

The Pole said: “It's not easy especially when we're constantly switching sides, one time playing with the wind and one time against, so I really needed to adjust that but I'm pretty happy that I managed to play the second set a little bit better and learn from the first set."

Rybakina, who also reached this year's Australian Open final, continued her improved form on clay following victory in last week's Rome Masters by making it eight wins on the trot.

It was also the world No 4's 30th win of the year with only Melbourne champion and world No 2 Aryna Sabalenka securing more with 31 victories.

“I cannot say that here it’s easy for me. It’s still every match getting better and better,” said Rybakina, who will now face Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain. “I think that, first of all, my first WTA win [in 201] was on clay, so from that point I thought I actually can play on clay.

“I think it depends where, the conditions, how is the weather, balls. Even here it's quite different from Rome, the tournament I just won.”

American 20th seed Madison Keys committed a whopping 74 unforced errors in her 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 loss to countrywoman Kayla Day on Court Simonne Mathieu.

Sixteen-year-old Russian qualifier Mirra Andreeva is also through after a 6-1, 6-2 win over home hope Diane Parry to become only the seventh player under the age of 17 to make the third round in Paris since 1993 – a group that includes the likes of Serena Williams and Martina Hingis.

In the men's draw, last year's runner-up Casper Ruud booked his place in the third round with a four-set win over battling Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.

The Norwegian fourth seed was pushed hard by his 129th-ranked opponent but clinched a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 success on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“It was a tough match,” said Ruud.

“I started well, got a break early and served well myself. That’s the beauty of best-of-five sets. In a normal match I would have won 6-3, 6-2, but here you have the chance to fight like he did.

“I’m very happy to come through and not having to play a fifth set was nice today. I have extra time to recover for my next match.”

Sixth seed Holger Rune was given a walkover into the next round after French veteran Gael Monfils was forced to withdraw following his grueling five-set victory over Sebastian Baez.