French Open: Svitolina stunned, Zverev edges Dzumhur; Djokovic battles through to round of 16

Paris, June 1: Elina Svitolina was expected to challenge for French Open glory but the fourth seed was dumped out by Mihaela Buzarnescu in the third round while Alexander Zverev won an epic clash with Damir Dzumhur and reach the fourth round on Friday (June 1).

Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic recorded a hard-fought win over 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut after a gruelling four-hour match to qualify into the round of last 16 where he'll face Spain's 30th seed Fernando Verdasco.

Djoker battles through:

The 12-time Grand Slam champion got a tough challenge from the Spaniard but eventually managed to win 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 after three hours and 48 minutes. The Serb, who conquered the clay court in 2016, has been seeded 20th in the tournament and searching to recover his lost form.

The Djoker is an Entertainer... 🃏@DjokerNole in his element!#RG18 pic.twitter.com/iLrz8pGiBk
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2018

The 20th seed reached the last 16 - where he will face Fernando Verdasco - at Roland Garros for the 12th time in his career after triumphing 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 on Suzanne Lenglen.

Yet the Serbian - who cruised past Rogerio Dutra Silva and Jaume Munar in the previous rounds - was on court for three hours and 48 minutes before finally recording a fourth successive win over Bautista Agut on clay.

Djokovic claimed a close opening set, clinching the first break in the match in the 10th game to move ahead. When he gained control early in the second, a third successive straight-sets victory in the French capital looked on the cards.

However, Bautista Agut - seeded 13th - hit back, grabbing a break of his own before staving off three set points and prevailing in a tense tie-break thanks to an error from his opponent.

Djokovic smashed his racquet after missing a simple forehand close to the net and there were further signs of frustration when he fell behind early in the next set, too.

But the 12-time grand slam champion overcame the odd lapse to triumph, taking the third via a tie-break after Bautista Agut failed to serve it out and then breezing through the fourth.

A drop of serve when in position to win the match did not matter for Djokovic, though, as Bautista Agut was broken in the next game, sending him through to a tie with Verdasco.

Setback for Svitolina:

After triumphing at the Internazionali d'Italia by comfortably beating Simona Halep less than two weeks ago, Svitolina looked set for a deep run at Roland Garros.

However, the Ukrainian went down 6-3 7-5 against Buzarnescu, who will face Madison Keys in the fourth round after she overcame Naomi Osaka.

Buzarnescu had never won a main draw match at a grand slam prior to this week, but she got her third in the space of five days by hitting 20 more winners than Svitolina.

Upset Special!

Mihaela Buzarnescu shocks Elina Svitolina 6-3 7-5.#RG18 pic.twitter.com/nQZnh1xxq5
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2018

The world number four was far below her best, committing 29 unforced errors and only managing to win 46 percent of points on her first serve.

Svitolina missed a chance to force a decider after breaking for a 5-4 lead in the second set, and Buzarnescu - ranked 377th in the world just a year ago - turned the match around to claim the biggest upset of the tournament.

Zverev edges past Dzumhur:

Zverev saved a match point as he conjured up another fightback and reached the fourth round of Roland Garros for the first time. Zverev, the second seed, came from two sets to one down to beat Dusan Lajovic in the second round on Wednesday (May 30) and had to do the same again two days later to break new ground at Roland Garros.

Dzumhur spurned the chance to serve out the match in the fourth set and had a match point in the decider, but the world number three won a thriller 6-2 3-6 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“The crowd was unbelievable. Thanks to everyone for coming out. It’s the first time I’ve won on this court and in this way. So hopefully many more to come.”

- Zverev#RG18 pic.twitter.com/b9aaHePz8r
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2018

Zverev has never reached a grand slam quarter-final and was facing another failure before coming back from the brink of defeat to set up an encounter with Lucas Pouille or Karen Khachanov.

Dzumhur was outstanding for much of a gripping contest which took three hours and 54 minutes to settle, but the 21-year-old Zverev gave another demonstration that he has come of age to deny the 26th seed in what was his first grand-slam victory over a player ranked inside the world's top 50.

What. A. Match.#RG18 pic.twitter.com/hyG14zWcFu
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2018

Zverev start aggressively, taking a 2-1 lead courtesy of a Dzumhur double fault and mixing up fierce groundstrokes with deft drop shots as he went a double break up and wrapped up the first set with ease.

Dzumhur was up against it when Zverev secured an early break in the second, but the 27-year-old warmed to the task under grey skies and deservedly got back on serve at 3-3.

The Sarajevo-born underdog had the bit between his teeth, one of several dexterous drop shots and a forehand winner down the line putting him a break up at 4-3 - an advantage he pressed home to level it up at one set apiece.

An overcooked Zverev backhand put him 2-1 down in the third and although he got back on serve before coming back to hold from 0-40 down, a stray forehand gave Dzumhur the chance to serve for the set.

The rampant Dzumhur grasped that opportunity and continued to give Zverev the run-around, keeping his focus after colliding with a ball boy - who initially stayed down but was able to walk off the court.

Zverev was rattled, making two woeful unforced errors to go 3-2 down in the fourth, but levelled at 4-4 and broke back to love to stay alive when Dzumhur made a mess of serving out the match.

The towering favourite bossed a tie-break which ended when Dzumhur put a backhand low into the net sliding to his left and took the upper hand in a final set which saw the first three games go against serve.

Dzumhur threw his racket down, but he was not finished yet, exquisite drop shots and his powerful forehand getting him back in it at 4-4.

Zverev saved a match point before making it 5-5 and went on to win the next two games, a stray forehand consigning Dzumhur to a heartbreaking defeat.

Dimitrov down:

Fourth seed Dimitrov was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-4 by Fernando Verdasco on Court 1 at Roland Garros, two days after being pushed to five sets by world number 57 Jared Donaldson. Spaniard Verdasco had earlier demonstrated his class on clay with a straightforward win over disillusioned Dimitrov.

Sur le court 1, l’Espagnol @FerVerdasco sort le Bulgare Grigor Dimitrov en trois sets, 7-6 6-2 6-4 ! #RG18 pic.twitter.com/oYQxFMVQlQ
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2018

The Bulgarian, Dimitrov, reached the semi-finals at the Monte Carlo Masters and the last eight in Barcelona, but he suffered first-round exits at the Madrid Open and the Internazionali d'Italia.

Verdasco saved four set points in the opener on his way to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-4 triumph, with Dimitrov - knocked out in the third round for a second successive year - declaring afterwards he will be taking a break from the sport.

Wozniacki downs Parmentier

Caroline Wozniacki started strongly but had to overcome a blip to beat Pauline Parmentier 6-0 6-3 in the third round.

From 6-0 5-0 up, second seed Wozniacki fell short of sweeping to a stunning double bagel, as concerns over the state of the surface on Court Phillipe Chatrier preceded a late surge from home hope Parmentier.

The Frenchwoman was unable to pull off a shock comeback, though, with Wozniacki halting her momentum to book a place in the last 16 against Daria Kasatkina.

The victory provided the world number two with a semblance of revenge after she was forced to retire from a quarter-final clash with Parmentier in Istanbul last month due to an abdominal injury.

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN Zverev [2] bt Dzumhur [26] 6-2 3-6 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS Zverev - 51/73 Dzumhur - 51/68

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS Zverev - 8/7 Dzumhur - 1/4

BREAK POINTS WON Zverev - 9/18 Dzumhur - 8/19

FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE Zverev - 65 Dzumhur - 63

PERCENTAGE OF POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE Zverev - 60/52 Dzumhur - 61/51

TOTAL POINTS Zverev - 165 Dzumhur - 162

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN Djokovic [20] bt Bautista Agut [13] 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2

WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS Djokovic - 51/43 Bautista Agut - 42/47

ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS Djokovic - 10/3 Bautista Agut - 3/2

BREAK POINTS WON Djokovic - 8/19 Bautista Agut - 5/8

FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE Djokovic - 63 Bautista Agut - 59