Serena Williams sent out a warning to the rest of the depleted women’s draw on Friday with a dominant straight-sets win over Danielle Collins to reach the French Open last 16 for the first time since 2018.
The 39-year-old, still one short of Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, saw off fellow American Collins 6-4, 6-4.
“Today it was very difficult, but I played well, stayed concentrated. I’m very happy,” said the three-time Roland Garros winner.
Williams is now the highest seed left in her half of the draw, with all of the world’s top four absent from the second week.
She will next face Kazakh 21st seed Elena Rybakina, with a potential quarter-final against old rival Victoria Azarenka up for grabs.
Williams, seeded eighth, had a slight scare in the second set when she fell 1-4 behind against 2020 quarter-finalist Collins, but won the next five games to secure victory.
When Williams last made the fourth round three years ago, she withdrew injured before a scheduled clash with Maria Sharapova.
The former world number one also pulled out last year following the opening round, but she looks in strong form this time around, despite sporting some strapping on her right thigh.
Williams thundered down five aces and hit 22 winners against Collins, winning in just 85 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Earlier, third seed Aryna Sabalenka was dumped out in the third round Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Russian 31st seed Pavlyuchenkova won 6-4, 2-6, 6-0 and will meet Victoria Azarenka for a place in the quarter-finals.
Sabalenka joins top seed Ashleigh Barty and second-seeded Naomi Osaka in exiting the tournament in the first week.
Sabalenka had defeated 29-year-old Pavlyuchenkova just a month ago in the Madrid quarter-finals on clay.
However, on Friday she was undone by 39 unforced errors as her poor record at the majors continued. Sabalenka is yet to make a quarter-final at the Slams.
Zverev vs nishikori
German sixth seed Alexander Zverev eased into the last 16 for the fourth successive year with a straight-sets win over Laslo Djere.
The 24-year-old, last year’s US Open runner-up, saw off the 55th-ranked Djere 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The comfortable nature of victory was welcome for Zverev, who had fought back from two sets down to beat unheralded compatriot Oscar Otte in round one before edging three tight sets against Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin.
“This is the main goal of my tennis career, to win Grand Slams, to reach the top of the rankings. I feel like the last year I’m on the right track again,” said Zverev, in the opposite half of the draw to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
He will next face former world number four Kei Nishikori, whose third-round opponent Henri Laaksonen retired injured following the opening set, for a quarter-final spot.