RFI

Defending champion Rafael Nadal eased into the third round of the French Open on Wednesday following a straight sets demolition of Mackenzie McDonald.The 34-year-old Spaniard dispatched the American 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in one hour and 40 minutes."The aim was to play as well as possible,” said the 12-time champion after his match on Court Philippe Chatrier. “I'm very happy. I have another difficult match next.”Dominic Thiem, who lost in the 2018 and 2019 finals to Nadal, also moved into the third round in straight sets.PleasedHe beat Jack Sock from the United States 6-1, 6-3, 7-6. Thiem, who won the US Open earlier this month, saved three set points in the third set tiebreaker before claiming it eight points to six.“I’m very pleased to have come through,” said the 27-year-old Austrian. “It is a good victory in straight sets. Jack was starting to play better from the second set and I was lucky to have saved the set points.”The 12th seed Diego Schwartzmann, who overcame Nadal on his way to the Italian Open final just before the French Open, advanced to the last 32 in Paris at the expense of Lorenzo Guistino.The Italian qualifier ran out of gas following his first round exploits in which he took just over six hours to beat the Frenchman Corentin Moutet.FeatMoutet’s compatriot, Hugo Gaston, who turned 20 just before the start of the tournament, moved into the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time after a 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 win over Yoshihito Nishioka from Japan.Gaston, who was invited to play in the main draw at the tournament because of his low ranking of 239 in the world, repaid the organisers' faith with a stunning display.He saw off the world number 52 in just over three hours and on Friday will face the 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka for a place in the last 16.