Zverev and Dimitrov both win in 5

Wednesday was a good day for the top seeds, although it took a long time for Sascha Zverev (2) and Grigor Dimitrov (4) to win their way into the third round.

Sascha Zverev opened slowly against Dusan Lajovic, ranked 60, losing the opening set 6-2, and his history of poor performance at Grand Slam events began to surface, especially Roland Garros.

Lajovic had hit seven winners and won all four points at the net.

A better second set allowed the second seed to level the match after falling behind 1-3.  His backhand worked well in his comeback and the German young gun was looking more like the player who had delivered a brilliant clay court season leading into Paris.

Although Zverev was serving well, he couldn’t win the vital points in set three, and he fell behind two sets to one, under severe pressure.

Zverev sprung out of his apparent lethargy and won nine successive games from 1-1 in the fourth set.  

He glided into the finish line 2-6 7-5 4-6 6-1 6-2

Grigor Dimitrov battled past Jared Donaldson 6-7(2) 6-4 4-6 6-4 10-8

In four hours and twenty minutes.  Dimitrov reached the third round for the third time (his best effort in this tournament) and achieved his fiftieth  match win at Grand Slam level.

First round matches of significance:

Simona Halep (1) defeated Alison Riske 2-6 6-1 6-1

Jeremy Chardy defeated Tomas Berdych (17) in an epic encounter 7-6(5) 7-6(8) 1-6 5-7 6-2

Other second round matches of significance:

Kei Nishikori (19) defeated Benoit Paire 6-3 2-6 4-6 6-2 6-3

Caroline Wozniacki (2) defeated Georgina Garcia Perez 6-1 6-0

Elina Svitolina (4) defeated Viktoria Kuzmova 6-3 6-4

Novak Djokovic (20) defeated Jaume Munar 7-6(1) 6-4 6-4

David Goffin (8) defeated Corentin Moutet 7-5 6-0 6-1

Alizé Cornet (32) defeated Pauline Parmentier 7-6(2) 6-4 6-2

Petra Kvitová (8) defeated Lara Arruabarrena 6-0 6-4

Gael Monfils (32) defeated Martin Klizan 6-2 6-4 6-4

Naomi Osaka (21) defeated Zarina Diyas 6-4 7-5

Pablo Carreno Busta (10) defeated Federico Delbonis 7-6(0) 7-6(2) 3-6  6-4

Madison Keys (13) defeated Caroline Dolehide 6-4 6-1

Gilles Simon defeated Sam Querrey (12) 1-6 7-6(3) 6-4 6-1

Sloane Stephens (10) defeated Magdalena Frech 6-2 6-2

Barbora Strycova (26) defeated Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 6-2

Roberto Bautista Agut (13) defeated Santiago Giraldo 6-4 7-5 6-3

Anett Kontaveit (25) defeated Alexandra Dulgheru 7-5 6-2

Fernando Verdasco (30) defeated Guido Andreozzi 6-3 6-2 6-2

Mihaela Buzarnescu (31) defeated Rebecca Peterson 6-1 6-2

Damir Dzumhur (26) defeated Radu Albot 6-3 6-3 5-7 1-6 7-5

Daria Kasatkina (14) defeated Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-3

Maria Sakkari defeated Carla Suarez Navarro (23) 7-5 6-3