Defending champion Novak Djokovic, 37, faced a brief challenge from unseeded Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena, 31, before securing a straightforward 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 victory, advancing to the French Open third round on Thursday.
Djokovic, aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title, has had an erratic season and initially struggled against Carballes Baena after an early break. However, the top-seeded Serbian regained his composure, breaking back and taking the first set 6-4 after a pivotal 24-shot rally and an overhead smash.
In the second set, Djokovic quickly found his rhythm, surging to a 4-0 lead before Carballes Baena could score. The three-time Roland Garros champion continued to dominate, efficiently wrapping up the set 6-1.
The final set mirrored the earlier two as Djokovic maintained his momentum, racing to a 5-1 lead. Despite Carballes Baena’s efforts, the outcome was inevitable, and Djokovic secured the third set 6-2, sealing his place in the next round.
Their previous two encounters were on hard courts, but the result remained the same on Parisian clay, with Djokovic demonstrating his superiority and advancing comfortably in his quest for another Grand Slam title.
