Paris [France], May 31 : Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the third round of the ongoing French Open 2023 for the fifth consecutive year on Wednesday when he overcame Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2 to earn his 20th win at the clay-court major.
The 2021 finalist Tsitsipas, who is pursuing his first major title, dominated for extended stretches on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. The Greek used excellent footwork to control the forehand while striking with strong topspin to drive Carballes Baena deep.
"I like the bounces and the way the ball [moves] when it is sunny like this. There were a few instances this year where it rained a little bit and did not suit me as much, but I really enjoy sunny days like this," ATP.com quoted Tsitsipas as saying when asked about the lively conditions.
"The crowd was great and it is always great on Suzanne-Lenglen. I have received a lot of support and love at Roland Garros in the years and it has treated me well," Tsitsipas said.
The fifth seed now holds a 29-8 record on the season. He arrived in Paris off the back of a run to the semi-finals in Rome, while he advanced to the Barcelona final last month.
Tsitsipas is currently fourth in the ATP Live Race To Turin but could climb to top spot if he wins his 10th tour-level title in Paris after Race To Turin leader Daniil Medvedev suffered a shock first-round defeat on Tuesday.
The World No. 57 was easily defeated by Tsitsipas in the first and third sets. He also came back after losing serve twice in the second set to win a close tie-break. Tsitsipas lined up a third-round match against Diego Schwartzman or Nuno Borges with his two hours and sixteen-minute victory.
Elsewhere, Austrian Sebastian Ofner defeated American Sebastian Korda 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-4 to reach the third round in Paris for the first time.
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