Novak Djokovic’s French Open credentials were given the lightest of examinations in a 6-2, 6-0 6-2 second-round win over Argentina’a Guido Pella on Thursday.
The world number one had the stronger weapons and pushed his opponent on to the back foot with his superior courtcraft in a match that lasted just one hour and 26 minutes after being delayed by rain and then halted again when the downpours returned.
After the players traded blows at the start of the match, Djokovic won 11 games in a row, taking the first and second sets.
The crowd rose in unison to applaud the 101st-ranked Pella when he won a game in the second game of the third set but it was a short-lived reprieve as the Serb closed the match out.
Former finalist Samantha Stosur and three-time semi-finalist Jelena Jankovic beat torrential Paris rain to reach the third round.
After a one hour, 40 minute halt had left ninth-seeded Stosur a set and 4-1 up on France’s Kristina Mladenovic, the Australian then took advantage of a 20-minute window on their return to Court Philippe Chatrier to complete a 6-4, 6-3 win.
The 2011 US Open champion will face Serb 18th seed Jelena Jankovic for a place in the last 16.
Jankovic, a semi-finalist in 2007, 2008 and 2010, beat Spain’s Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-0.
“I think she’s a great up and coming player. She hits the ball very hard, very flat,” said Jankovic of the Spaniard.
China’s Zheng Jie also reached the last 32 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Melanie Oudin of the United States.
Kazakh 27th seed Yaroslava Shvedova, who made the quarter-finals last year, was knocked out by Argentine qualifier Paula Ormaechea, 6-4, 7-6 (8/6).
No Paris repeat for off-colour Li
China’s Li Na crashed out of the French Open losing 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 to Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States in a second round tie badly disrupted by rain.
It was the first time the 2011 champion had gone out at such an early stage of the tournament in seven appearances and wrecked her hopes of a second straight Grand Slam final appearance after Australia in January.
Asked if the cold, rainy weather had contributed to her downfall, Li replied: “Lose is lose, I cannot find another thing (to blame).
“The weather didn’t change anything — for both of us it was the same.”
As she did in the first round against Anabel Medina Garrigues, sixth-seeded Li got off to a strong start winning the first four games before the stocky American rallied to win the next four.
Mattek-Sands then promptly undid all her hard work with a poor service game at 5-5 and Li took full advantage to take the opening set.
With dark clouds hovering over Court 1, Mattek-Sands broke early in the second set to lead 4-1 before the rain came down to suspend play for one hour 45 minutes.
They made a brief reappearance for 10 minutes during which Li pulled back to 4-3 with her serve to come before they were sent scurrying for cover once again as the heavens opened.
Another 90 minutes transpired before further play was possible and on the resumption, Mattek-Sands levelled the set scores by winning the next two games.
That appeared to sap all the confidence out of Li and she meekly surrendered the deciding set as the rain started to fall once again.