Kuznetsova ousts qualifer to reach last 16

PARIS, June 2 (Reuters) World number three Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia advanced to the last 16 of the French Open with a 6-2 6-3 win over teenage qualifier Dominika Cibulkova today.

Kuznetsova, who lost to Justine Henin in last year's final, appeared a little cumbersome at times but still proved too strong for her 18-year-old opponent from Slovakia.

The third seed made a sluggish start but managed to break her opponent in the sixth game and repeated the feat two games later to take the opening set in 40 minutes.

After forging an early break in the second set, the 21-year-old Kuznetsova dropped her own serve in the third game but broke back immediately.

Kuznetsova then held on to seal victory with a backhand volley on her first match point after 87 minutes.

The former U.S. Open champion will next meet Israel's Shahar Peer or Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik for a place in the quarter-finals.

REUTERS BJR ND1646