Sinner, Draper and Zverev move ahead with ease
PA Media/DPA
Paris
Jannik Sinner is clearly making up for lost time at this year's French Open.
The world number one, who only returned from a three-month doping ban three weeks ago, raced into the fourth round in just 94 minutes.
Sinner won the first 11 games against Czech Jiri Lehecka on his way to a commanding 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
'This morning I said to my team I'm feeling well and physically ready,' said the Italian.
'We had to go hard in the beginning because the beginning in grand slams is very important for confidence. I warmed up well, I felt very good so after 20-25 minutes I was feeling brave.
'My team gave me the right tactics, I tried to play them in the match so it's a combination of also being happy on court - it's very important.
'After today I don't think there's much I can improve but every opponent is different.' Sinner will meet Russian 17th seed Andrey Rublev on Monday.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Arthur Fils has revealed he won a five-set match on Thursday despite having a stress fracture in his back.
The 20-year-old 14th seed, who beat Jaume Munar in a marathon match lasting four and a half hours, has been forced to withdraw from the tournament.
He said: 'I had some issue with the back for a long time, and during the match against Munar it got worse.
'Then I did some examinations. They were not good at all. I've got some stress fracture.' Fils was unsure whether he will be fit enough in time to compete at Wimbledon.
Draper beats teenager Fonseca
Jack Draper extended his stay in Paris into the second week after sweeping aside Brazilian teenager João Fonseca to reach the fourth round.
The British number one out-thought and outmuscled his 18-year-old opponent, thudding 32 winners in a commanding 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory in just an hour and 46 minutes.
'I played good, the first set was really key,' he said. 'I got on top of him and used my forehand really well.
'Mentally it was a good performance from me today. I'm happy to be in the second week here and hopefully there's more to come.' Fonseca is a precocious talent who brings a huge, noisy contingent of supporters from his homeland wherever he goes.
There were fans in the famous yellow football shirts dotted all around Court Suzanne-Lenglen and they were making themselves heard throughout the early stages.
But Draper, who dealt with a partisan crowd when he beat 38-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils on Thursday night, dampened the South American enthusiasm as he raced away with the first set in just half-an-hour.
Draper dominated the second, although he did have to save a break point with an ace as he served for it, before a Fonseca error sealed the deal.
A relentless Draper kept the pressure on in the third, breaking in the first game after a punishing rally to take a decisive lead. The fifth seed's victory was sealed when a demoralized Fonseca could only plant a return apologetically into the net.
Zverev hails show court
Alexander Zverev was pleased to be back on Court Philippe-Chatrier despite some bad memories as he eased into the French Open last 16.
The German world number three beat Italian clay court specialist Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 on Saturday to reach the fourth round at the second grand slam of the tennis season for the eighth time in a row.
Zverev has made at least the semi-finals in each of the last four years, and in 2024 lost the final to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.
Three years ago, he suffered a serious ankle injury on the court in the semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
'This court is special for me. I had my best, but also the bitterest moment of my career here,' Zverev, who has yet to win a grand slam, said courtside after his first match on the main Paris court this year.
Zverev converted his fourth match point against Cobolli after 2 hours 30 minutes. The Italian had recently taken the title in Zverev's home city of Hamburg.
'It was tough for me for a long time today. The second set was decisive, after that the match went my way,' added Zverev.
The German will now face Tallon Griekspoor on Monday, having beaten the Dutchman in three hard-fought sets en route to Munich glory in April.
Zverev is the clear favourite against Griekspoor, but his future opponents on the Roland Garros red dust are likely to get much tougher.
In the quarter-finals, he could face off against record grand slam champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia. World number one Jannik Sinner possibly awaits in the semi-finals.
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