The China Mail - Swiatek eyes French Open last 32 as Andreeva strikes blow for teens

World number one Swiatek celebrated her 22nd birthday on Wednesday and is expected to comfortably ease past Claire Liu of the United States to make the last 32.

Liu, ranked 102 in the world, managed to win just one game when she faced the Pole at Indian Wells this year.

Victory in Paris this year would give Swiatek a fourth Grand Slam title, taking her alongside Naomi Osaka, Kim Clijsters and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and one behind Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis.

However, Swiatek insists she is not motivated by landmarks.

"I don't even know these records. I play tennis but I'm not really an expert in terms of statistics and history, so I'm not really focused on that," she said.

"I'm kind of living in a different world. I never even played Serena or Monica Seles. So I'm kind of living my own life and having my own journey."

Justine Henin, a seven-time major winner, was the last woman to successfully defend the title at Roland Garros back in 2007, her third in a row and fourth in total in Paris.

Andreeva became just the seventh player under the age of 17 to make the third round in Paris in 30 years -- joining the likes of Serena Williams and Hingis -- with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Diane Parry.

Andreeva, ranked at 143 and making her Grand Slam debut after coming through the qualifiers, was already the youngest player to win a match at Roland Garros in 18 years when she came through the first round.

Up next is a potential clash with 19-year-old Coco Gauff, the runner-up to Iga Swiatek last year. Gauff was facing Julia Grabher of Austria later Thursday.

- 'Who does it best?' -

"She's an experienced player. I am sure it will be a great match. She will do her best, I will do mine. We'll have to see who does it better," added Andreeva.

World number four and Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina racked up her 30th win of the year by defeating Czech teenager Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-3.

Kazakh fourth seed Rybakina, who could be the new world number one by the end of Roland Garros, converted three of the 10 break points she carved out and fired 30 winners past 18-year-old Noskova.

Only Australian Open champion and world number two Aryna Sabalenka has more wins on tour this year than Rybakina.

The Belarusian player, another contender for the world top ranking, has 31.

Last year's runner-up Casper Ruud booked his place in the third round with a four-set win over battling Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.

The Norwegian fourth seed was pushed hard by his 129th-ranked opponent but clinched a 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 success on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Ruud, who also lost the US Open final in 2022, will next face either Argentinian qualifier Thiago Agustin Tirante or Zhang Zhizhen -- the first Chinese man to win a Roland Garros main-draw match since 1937 -- for a place in the last 16 on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Ruud was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the final in Paris 12 months ago.

Thursday's night session match sees Alexander Zverev return to the same Philippe Chatrier Court where last year he suffered a season-ending ankle ligament injury in his semi-final loss to Nadal.

The German, who left the court in a wheelchair that day, faces Slovakia's Alex Molcan, the world number 86.

Zverev and Molcan weren't initially to play the night match on Chatrier but they were summoned as late replacements when Gael Monfils withdrew from his match against Holger Rune due to a wrist injury.

The bottom half of the men's draw has opened up after world number two Daniil Medvedev was knocked out in the first round by Brazil's Thiago Seyboth Wild.

C.Mak--ThChM