Serena Williams, Medvedev power into last 16

Zverev sets up fourth-round clash with Nishikori

PARIS: Serena Williams sent out a warning to the rest of the depleted women's draw on Friday with a dominant straight-sets win over Danielle Collins to reach the French Open last 16 for the first time since 2018.

The 39-year-old, still one short of Margaret Court's all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, saw off fellow American Collins 6-4, 6-4.

"Today it was very difficult, but I played well, stayed concentrated. I'm very happy," said the three-time Roland Garros winner.

Williams is now the highest seed left in her half of the draw, with all of the world's top four absent from the second week.

She will next face Kazakh 21st seed Elena Rybakina, with a potential quarter-final against old rival Victoria Azarenka up for grabs.

Williams, seeded eighth, had a slight scare in the second set when she fell 1-4 behind against 2020 quarter-finalist Collins, but won the next five games to secure victory.

When Williams last made the fourth round three years ago, she withdrew injured before a scheduled clash with Maria Sharapova.

The former world number one also pulled out last year following the opening round, but she looks in strong form this time around, despite sporting some strapping on her right thigh.

Williams thundered down five aces and hit 22 winners against Collins, winning in just 85 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev put in a commanding performance against towering 32nd seed Reilly Opelka, beating the American 6-4 6-2 6-4 to storm into the fourth round.

Medvedev, who had not won a match at the claycourt Grand Slam in four previous appearances before this year, broke the 2.11 metre tall American's booming serve two times in the opening set as Opelka committed an array of unforced errors.

The 25-year-old Russian continued his dominance in the second set as Opelka failed to rein in his errors and got broken twice more.

Medvedev then sealed the match with an early break in the third set and will next meet 22nd seed Cristian Garin who beat American Marcos Giron 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

Sixth seed Alexander Zverev made it to the fourth round with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Laslo Djere of Serbia.

The German star will take on world No. 49 Kei Nishikori of Japan, who made it to the pre-quarterfinals after qualifier Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland was forced to retire due to a thigh injury while trailing 5-7 in the first set.

This is the seventh time Nishikori, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 2015, has entered the fourth round in Paris.

Argentina's world No. 51 Federico Delbonis broke a two-match losing streak against Italian 29th ranked player Fabio Fognini to make his maiden entry into a Grand Slam fourth round.

In a rain-interrupted match, Delbonis capitalised on his solid first serve to record a 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win over Fognini in two hours and six minutes.

Debonis will take on Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who won a marathon five-setter against Norwegian 15th seed Casper Ruud 7-6(3), 2-6, 7-6(6), 0-6, 7-5 to secure a pre-quarterfinal berth.

Fokina, who had also reached the 2020 US Open fourth round, saved four break points in the final game to close out one of the biggest wins of his career after a contest lasting four hours and 35 minutes.

Earlier, 24-year-old Zverev saved three set points at 4-5 in the second set and then won nine of the next 11 games to get past Djere. Zverev struck 31 winners and converted seven of 10 break points for victory. Agencies

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