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Roundup: Djokovic beats fading light, injured Tsonga retires at Roland Garros

Xinhua, May 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic cruised into last 16 with a rapid victory over Britain' s Aliaz Bedene at Roland Garros on Saturday despite heavy rain halted day 7 play for about two hours.

The Serb was never in danger facing Bedene but had to race through the points to win 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 before the light made the courts unplayable.

"I closed out two sets pretty well. Started the third great, the night show started, we played to the maximum extension of time," said the top seed.

Djokovic' s match had been switched between Court Philippe Chatrier and Court Suzanne Lenglen after rain suspension.

The three-time finalists, who' s seeking his first French Open title here to complete a career Grand Slam, will play Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain on Monday after the 14th seed outclassed Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-2, 6-3, 6-3.

Ahead of Djokovic' s third round play, France' s sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire with a groin injury when up 5-2 against Latvia's Ernests Gulbis, leaving Court Philippe Chatrier in tears.

With Tsonga' s withdrawal, French hopes were battered as the 26 French players in the singles main draws only Richard Gasket is still standing, the worst showing by the hosts since 2010.

"It's of course a big disappointment. I was in a really good shape today," said Tsong. " It's just really difficult to accept that I'm not in the tournament any more."

For women' s part in the stormy afternoon, top seed Serena Williams had to survive a compelling second-set tiebreak and claim a 6-4, 7-6(10) victory played both before and after the rain suspension.

The 34-year-old American sets up a last 16 clash with Ukraine's Elina Svitolina who beat 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic 6-4, 6-4.

Serena' s elder sister Venus was also interrupted facing unseeded Alize Cornet and just finished it 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-0 to make the fourth round for the first time since 2010.

In the day' s other play, seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, 12th seed David Goffin of Belgium, Austrian sensation Dominic Thiem and ever-reliable Spaniard David Ferrer also progressed. Endit