And with that done, we’re wrapping up the blog here. No shocks today, I’m afraid, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams all going through. I’ll be back tomorrow with live coverage of Andy Murray v Ivo Karlovic. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beats Marcos Baghdatis 6-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2!
Marcos Baghdatis tumbling head first into the net sums up how this one has got away from him. He was two sets up but the game’s up when he nets a forehand return. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, dressed like a zebra, has roared back to seal his place in the third round and he’ll play Ernests Gulbis next.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga breaks again and he’ll serve for the match at 5-2. What a turnaround. The crowd is fully behind him now.
Venus Williams has won the first set 6-2 against Louisa Chirico. And David Ferrer, predictably, is battling. Juan Monaco served for the first set at 5-4, but Ferrer has broken back.
Andy Murray will be second on Suzanne-Lenglen tomorrow, taking on Croatian ace machine Ivo Karlovic.
Day 6 OOP, PC, 11am:
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 26, 2016
Wickmayer-Muguruza
Stosur-Safarova
Kygrios-Gasquet
Chardy-Wawrinka #RG16
Day 6 OOP, SL, 11am:
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 26, 2016
Halep-Osaka
Karlovic-Murray
Strycova-Radwanska
Simon-Troicki#RG16
Updated
Tsonga leads by a break in the fifth set. Meanwhile David Ferrer, the 11th seed, is on the brink of losing the first set to Juan Monaco, who is serving at 5-4 after breaking to love.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has forced a fifth set! He’s won the fourth 6-2 and Marcos Baghdatis is in trouble now. The outlook has changed dramatically in the past hour or so.
Alize Cornet is enjoying herself out on Court 2, where she leads by a set and a break against Tatjana Maria. Venus Williams is also in action against fellow American Louisa Chirico and she leads by a break in the first set.
Tsonga breaks in the fourth set! And finally the French fans are making some noise. They’re not easily pleased. But they’re cheering now that Tsonga, fighting back from two sets down, has a 3-2 lead.
Maybe not. Duque-Marino has broken back against Keys. Ignore me.
Madison Keys, a finalist in Rome last week, is already a break up against Mariana Duque-Mariño. Could this be her breakthrough tournament? Meanwhile Nicolas Almagro will indeed face David Goffin next after his 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 win over Jiri Vesely.
Updated
Serena Williams beats Teliana Pereira 6-2, 6-1
A resounding victory for the world No1, who’s free to spend the rest of the day on Snapchat.
The French fans are more into this now! Though they’re not going too wild. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has won the third set 6-3 but Marcos Baghdatis, who seemed to be conserving energy throughout that set, leads 7-6, 6-3, 3-6.
David Goffin is through to the third round after a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 win over Carlos Berlocq. The 12th seed did well to recover from a break down in the third set and he’ll face Jiri Vesely or Nicolas Almagro next. It’s probably going to be Almagro given that the Spaniard is up by two sets. They do love clay, those Spaniards.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is mounting a comeback, 4-1 up in the third set, and it’s Baghdatis who’s looking tired now. Meanwhile Daria Kastakina is pushing for victory in the third set against Virgine Razzano. The 29th seed leads 4-2.
Serena Williams wins the first set 6-2!
And she’s already a break up in the second set.
Apologies for the lack of widespread updates. I’m having trouble accessing matches away from Philippe-Chatrier at the moment.
It’s so cool from Marcos Baghdatis, rolling back the years to hold to love and take a two-set lead over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga with an array of lovely winners. He’s up 7-6, 6-3 and it’s looking like an ignominious exit for Tsonga in his home slam.
Sheer brilliance from Baghdatis earns him a break for 5-3! He had Tsonga on a string throughout the final point of that game, dragging him forward with a delicate drop shot and then punching a volley away. The Cypriot will serve for a two-set lead and the French fans are bristling with disappointment.
It’s very flat on Philippe-Chatrier. The home fans are giving Jo-Wilfried Tsonga minimal backing. Music to the ears of Marcos Baghdatis, who leads 4-3 in the second set with Tsonga serving.
Rafael Nadal will play a fellow Spaniard in the third round. Trailing 6-3, 6-2, 1-0 on Court 2, Nicolas Mahut has retired with an injury, handing victory to Marcel Granollers.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga had opportunities to take a 3-0 lead in the second set. He squandered them. Now a revitalised Baghdatis breaks back with a gorgeous forehand pass for 2-2.
I suspect that Serena Williams isn’t going to be on court for too long. Famous last words and all that but she’s already two breaks up against Pereira.
The world No1 left Suzanne-Lenglen. The world No1 is on Suzanne-Lenglen. Novak Djokovic departs, Serena Williams arrives. She’s taking on Brazil’s Teliana Pereira, the world No81.
The trainer has come and gone. But Baghdatis, struggling with his a cut on his leg, is down a break at the start of the second set.
Updated
It seems that Marcos Baghdatis has called the trainer because of a mystery injury. Jo -Wilfried Tsonga has changed his shirt. A lot of players have been sporting this strange zebra number this week. It makes them look like they John Anderson.
Updated
Ramming a big serve into the corner, Marcos Baghdatis is in the lead. After 56 minutes of entertaining, erratic and predictably unpredictable tennis, he wins a first-set tie-break 8-6 against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whose inconsistency counts against him. Philippe-Chatrier is silent. The Cypriot leads against the home favourite, who saw a set point come to nothing. David Goffin, meanwhile, is on his way into the third round. That’s how it looks from here, at least. The Belgian leads by a set and a break against Carlos Berlocq. Marcel Granollers is in a similar position against Nicolas mahut, while Virginie Razzano has won the first set 6-3 against 29th seed Daria Kasatkina.
Updated
Novak Djokovic beats Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4!
The world No1 is through to play Britain’s Aljaz Bedene in the third round. He was pretty irritable out there today and dropped his serve a couple of times but he was never in serious danger of losing.
Stephane Robert, 36 years old, has taken the second set 6-3 against Alex Zverev. They’re level. I blame the pigeon.
And Coric wins! He’s through to the third round, beating Bernard Tomic 3-6, 6-2, 7-6, 7-6 and he’ll play Roberto Bautista Agut next. That’s a very good win.
Borna Coric faced a set point in the fourth-set tie-break with Bernard Tomic. Now he’s got a match point...
Novak Djokovic isn’t having it all his own way. He’s just seen a break cancelled out by Steve Darcis in the third set. It’s 2-2 and they’re back on serve.
At Eastbourne last year, Agnieszka Radwanska was almost assaulted by a low-flying seagull. Now this.
I have never seen this before: Alex Zverev is complaining that pigeons were flying too low(they were) and that they should replay the point.
— The Tennis Nerds (@TheTennisNerds) May 26, 2016
Updated
“Nice stats,” says Maria Kilfoil. ‘Wow, Nadal eighth on the list of GS wins - the Big Three current players all present in that top 8, as expected – but he has by far the best GS win percentage of the list. Interesting! Vamos.”
Away from the French Open, Maria Sharapova has been included in Russia’s Olympic squad despite her ban over a positive drug test.
Marcos Baghdatis is in a cheeky, impudent mood early on against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. He’s got a break, he’s held from 0-40 down and he’s quietened the home fans. The Cypriot is a lovely player to watch when he’s feeling it.
Novak Djokovic wins the second set to lead 7-6, 6-3!
A grumpy world No1 but a dominant world No1. Djokovic hasn’t been at his best but he’s closing in on a third-round meeting with Aljaz Bedene.
Roberto Bautista Agut has been in imperious form today. He’s over Villarreal’s Europa League disappointment and he’s into the third round, an emphatic 7-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Personal questions are not allowed.
Here comes the #RG16 moderator, all dressed in white: pic.twitter.com/byz7nV51lH
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 26, 2016
If you’re after entertainment, have a look at Philippe Chatrier. Marcos Baghdatis v Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. It’s bound to be a laugh.
The exciting young German, Alex Zverez, is on a mission. He’s swept to the first set, 6-1, against veteran Frenchman Stephane Robert.
Who likes stats?
The #200Club
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) May 26, 2016
GS singles wins
Fed 302-50
Connors 233-49
Agassi 224-53
Lendl 222-49
Emerson 217-48
Djoko 215-34
Sampras 203-38
Nadal 200-30
Updated
Dominic Thiem is through to the third round, beating Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 6-4, 7-6. The 13th seed could play Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. That could be a great contest.
Novak Djokovic, up a set and a break, has just angrily spanked the net with his racket after failing to reach a Darcis drop shot. What’s got under his skin?
Borna Coric has won that tie-break, taking it 7-4. It was one to forget for Bernard Tomic and Coric leads 3-6, 6-2, 7-6.
After such a brilliant first set, the match could be running away from Steve Darcis. Djokovic has secured an early break in the second set.
It’s gone to a third-set tie-break between Bernard Tomic and Borna Coric. Whoever wins it is going to be feeling very pleased with himself. It sounds like a very entertaining match over on Court 14.
Rafael Nadal beats Facundo Bagnis 6-3, 6-0, 6-3!
Hold that thought. Nadal wins! For the 200th time at a grand slam!
Updated
There’s life yet in Facundo Bagnis, who breaks with Rafael Nadal serving for the match. It’s probably only earned him a stay of execution, though, because Nadal still leads 6-3, 6-0, 5-3.
Novak Djokovic wins the first set 7-5!
Steve Darcis battles bravely, saving two set points, but he can’t capitalise on two game points. Djokovic wallops a forehand return away to earn a third set point and this time Darcis blinks, chopping a slice long.
Novak Djokovic has just ballooned a forehand into the Seine on his second set point. Consider me surprised.
Rafael Nadal is serving for the match. Roberto Bautista Agut leads 7-6, 6-4 against Paul-Henri Mathieu. Viva Espana!
I’m back! It’s all kicked off while I’ve been away. From 2-0 down early on, now Steve Darcis is serving to force a first-set tie-break against Novak Djokovic.
Bedene beats Busta in five sets
Aljaz Bedene has beaten Correno Busta in five sets, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 4-6 5-7 6-2, following on from Andy Murray’s marathons.
A quick update while Jacob’s away:
- Nadal is now a break up and 1-0 on Bagnis in the third set, after taking the first two with ease.
- It’s 3-2 to Bedene on serve in the final set against Carreno Busta.
- Djokovic v Darcis remains on serve in the opener, the world No1 currently 4-3 up.
- And Bernard Tomic is now one set all against Borna Coric, who took the second 6-2 and is 2-1 up in the third, on serve.
We’re in a bit of a lull. The perfect time for me to grab some lunch. Back soon.
The Spaniards are enjoying themselves on the clay. Rafa Nadal is a set and two breaks up against poor Facundo Bagnis on Philippe-Chatrier and Roberto Bautista Agut, the 14th seed, has won the first set 7-6 against Paul-Henri Mathieu on Court 1.
Pablo Carreno Busta wins the fourth set 7-5!
Aljaz Bedene had another chance to break. But he couldn’t take it and Carreno Busta was ruthless when he carved out a set point. They’re going into a fifth on Court 6 and it’s anyone’s match now!
There’s probably not going to be an upset on Suzanne-Lenglen. Novak Djokovic is already a break up against Steve Darcis.
Bedene is making problems for himself over on Court 6. Having broken to level the fourth set, he’s dropped serve for a third time in the set to go 6-5 down and Pablo Carreno Busta will serve to take it into a decider. Bedene was two sets up, remember.
Rafael Nadal wins the first set 6-3!
Nadal shrugs off that time violation and moves ahead when Bagnis, who started so promisingly, knocks a forehand long. The Argentinian led 2-0 early on but Nadal hit back by winning six of the next seven games.
On Court 4, meanwhile, Kiki Bertens is a set and a break up against Italy’s Camila Giorgi. Elsewhere Nadal has been given a time violation on set point.
Drama on Court 6, where Aljaz Bedene has broken back for 5-5 with Pablo Carreno Busta serving to take their match into a fifth set. The pendulum is swinging.
While Rafael Nadal looks to serve out the first set on Philippe-Chatrier, someone who dealt him one of his most excruciating defeats is out on Suzanne-Lenglen. It was Steve Darcis, of course, who beat Nadal in the first round of Wimbledon three years ago. Can the Belgian pull off a similar upset today? Unlikely. He’s about to take on Novak Djokovic. I won’t ask who your money’s on.
Perhaps taking a leaf out of Andy Murray’s book, it looks like Aljaz Bedene is heading into a fifth set. He broke back in the fourth set but he’s dropped his serve again and Pablo Carreno Busta is serving with a 4-3 lead.
Another youngster, Quentin Halys, is saying goodbye to Roland Garros for another year. The Frenchman loses 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 to Pablo Cuevas, with the 25th seed moving on to face Tomas Berdych. That could be an interesting match.
Borna Coric, dubbed the new Novak Djokovic, caused a stir when he announced himself with wins over Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal. But the real Djokovic doesn’t lose to Bernard Tomic and that’s what the 19-year-old Croatian is doing at the moment. The 20th seed, more experienced than his young adversary, has won the first set 6-3.
Nadal breaks again to lead 4-2. After a sticky start, this has the feel of a formality.
Fun time appears to be over for Facundo Bagnis. He broke for a 2-0 lead and led 0-30 in Nadal’s second service game. Now Nadal leads 3-2 and it’s starting to look ominous. Brief thoughts of a shock are evaporating.
Tomas Berdych got over his mid-match stutter pretty quickly and has eventually romped to a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Malek Jaziri. But it’s not entirely convincing from the seventh seed. Elsewhere Ernests Gulbis has breezed past 26th seed Joao Sousa in straight sets and awaits either Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or Marcos Baghdatis.
Dominic Thiem, one of the game’s rising stars, had a tricky start against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who I often mistake for Gabriel García Márquez. Maybe Garcia-Lopez is also a good writer. Who knows? For now, though, all we know is that he’s a good tennis player. But not good enough to win the first set. He had an early break but Thiem, the 13th seed, has rattled back to take it 7-5.
Aljaz Bedene was two sets up not so long ago. Now it’s becoming a struggle for the British No2. Pablo Carreno Busta took the third set and now he’s a break up in the fourth. It could be a long one over on Court 6.
Former prodigy Bernard Tomic is taking on current prodigy Borna Coric on Court 14. Tomic has raced into a 3-0 lead against the young Croatian.
Pablo Carreno Busta wins the third set to trail Aljaz Bedene 7-6, 6-3, 4-6!
The Spaniard is fighting back here.
Maybe. Maybe. Bagnis has broken Nadal in the first game. The new Robin Soderling is here.
Updated
I can hear someone going ‘Uhhh, uhhh, uhhh, uhhh’, which means that Rafael Nadal is playing tennis. Has Facundo Bagnis, an Argentinian left-hander, got what it takes to live with the Spaniard?
Farewell Andrea Petkovic, beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Yulia Putintseva. A drubbing for the 28th seed.
Tomas Berdych remains as hard to read as ever. He’s 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 up in his topsy-turvy match against Malek Jaziri. He should win. He should win.
Next on Philippe-Chatrier: Rafael Nadal versus Facundo Bagnis, the world No99. Surely this is going to be a comfortable outing for the nine-time champion.
Ana Ivanovic has beaten Kurumi Nara 7-5, 6-1. Karin Knapp has beaten Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-4. All very straightforward.
Timea Bacsinszky beats Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-4!
There’s a deceptive look to that scoreline. A very strange match comes to an end when Bouchard wallops a backhand return long, the Canadian’s belated recovery finally over. She was threatening to make it five games in a row when she led 15-40 in this game but Bacsinszky managed to gather herself to force deuce, earn a second match point and seal her place in the third round. The eighth seed was the better player overall but she could hardly have made it more difficult for herself. From 4-1 down, she led 6-4, 5-0, before almost allowing Bouchard to level at 5-5 in the second. But it was all fine in the end. Delight for Bacsinszky, who’s through to potentially face Madison Keys, more woe for Bouchard.
Updated
Twenty minutes ago, Bouchard could hardly make a ball and Bacsinszky could hardly miss. Now Bacsinszky will serve for the match after losing four straight games. This sport is mental.
Aljaz Bedene wins the second set to lead 7-6, 6-3!
The British No2 is charging into the third round. All he has to do now is hold his nerve. Easier said than done.
Bouchard has won four games in a row. Crikey.
But Bouchard breaks in the end! There’s still work to do given that she trails 6-4, 5-3 - but is an astonishing comeback developing?
Updated
Bacsinszky saves it! A huge forehand gets her back to deuce.
Not any more. Bacsinszky saves them both, the first with a stunning chopped drop shot. But an errant forehand hands Bouchard a third opportunity...
This is incredible. Bouchard has two break points...
Carla Suarez Navarro wraps up her match in double quick time. The 12th seed beats Qiang Wang 6-1, 6-3.
Bacsinszky serves for the match. And Bouchard breaks! She’s won a game. Unfortunately she’s trailing 6-4, 5-1.
Also faltering: Eugenie Bouchard. Timea Bacsinszky leads 6-4, 5-0. Bouchard led 4-1 in the first set!
As an insight into Tomas Berdych’s struggles in 2016, you can’t do much better than his second-set disaster against Malek Jaziri just now. Berdych won the first 6-1 and you could have been forgiven for thinking it was going to be done in three. Think again. Jaziri has hit back in style, winning the second set 6-2 to level the match. Uh oh. The Tunisian broke to love in the final game.
Andrea Petkovic found it a doddle to beat Laura Robson the other day. But things aren’t going to plan for the German today. She’s a a set and a break down against Russia’s Yulia Putintseva on Court 14.
Ana Ivanovic has got there in the end. The first goes to the Serbian, 7-5, but Kurumi Nara isn’t out of that one yet.
Aljaz Bedene wins the first set 7-6!
The British No2 wins the tie-break 7-4. Although having led 5-0 and 6-3, he did almost let Carreno Busta back in it. Still, he’s two sets away from the third round and that’s impressive given that he was broken early on.
Bacsinszky is threatening to run away with this now, breaking Bouchard in the first game of the second set. She’s so good on clay.
Timea Bacsinszky wins the first set 6-4!
The 8th seed looked in trouble when she trailed 3-0 inside 10 minutes but she’s overwhelmed Eugenie Bouchard since then. Bouchard has slumped and she needs to raise her level again quickly.
Karin Knapp, slayer of Victoria Azarenka, has her sights trained on Anastasija Sevastova now. The Italian has taken the first set 6-3. Meanwhile 25th seed Pablo Cuevas has won a first-set tie-break against French teenager Quentin Halys, while Ernests Gulbis is cruising against Joao Sousa, romping to the first set to the tune of 6-2.
Updated
Clobber! Bang! Wallop! Four straight games for Bacsinszky, another break, and she’s going to serve for the first set at 5-4. Bouchard hasn’t got any answers at the moment.
Ana Ivanovic, so beguilingly inconsistent, so fragile when she tried to serve it out against Lucie Safarova for a place in the final last year, has let go of her first-set lead against Kurumi Nara. The Japanese outsider is fighting back against the 14th seed.
Tomas Berdych appears to be heading for a stress-free day. The seventh seed is in control after winning the first set 6-1 against Malek Jaziri, who’s struggling to contain Berdych’s power.
Timea Bacsinszky is back in it! She celebrates loudly as Bouchard, facing a break point, hits long and the Swiss is back in the first set. She’s beginning to hit a high level after a dozy start.
Funky outsider Ernests Gulbis got to the semi-finals here in 2014, beating Roger Federer along the way, but lost to Novak Djokovic in the last four. Can he go on a similar run this year? Well, he’s looking good today. He’s unseeded but he’s a break up against Joao Sousa, the 26th seed, on Court 17.
Carla Suarez-Navarro has sped away with the first set against Qiang Wang. The 12th seed takes it 6-1. Suarez Navarro was a semi-finalist in 2014.
Bouchard holds for 4-1, though Bacsinszky is beginning to discover some rhythm. And not before time.
Bedene has steadied the ship. A smart response has seen him win three straight games for a 3-2 lead against Carreno Busta.
Eugenie Bouchard is looking sharp out on Philippe-Chatrier, racing into a 3-0 lead against Timea Bacsinszky. The Canadian is utterly dominant at the moment. As is Tomas Berdych. He leads 3-0 against Malek Jaziri.
A speedy start for 2008 champion, Ana Ivanovic, who’s got herself an early break against Kurumi Nara. But Aljaz Bedene has dropped his serve against Carreno Busta and trails 2-1 in the first set on Court 6.
The players are out and they’re warming up. Play will begin shortly.
Britain’s Aljaz Bedene is also about to get going against Pablo Carreno Busta on Court 6. The reward: a likely third-round match against Novak Djokovic.
Another player in need of a good run here is Tomas Berdych. Hey, his surname also begins with B! The Czech, recently split with his coach, one-time Andy Murray confidant Dani Vallverdu, after some poor results recently. He lost to David Goffin in Rome, to Murray in Madrid and to Damir Dzhumhur in Monte Carlo. The world No8 hasn’t reached the final at any tournament this year and he’s up against Tunisian world No72 Malek Jaziri on Suzanne-Lenglen now.
Eugenie Bouchard looked like the future of women’s tennis when she reached the Wimbledon final in 2014. Then she lost to Petra Kvitova and she’s barely had a horrible time ever since then. She barely won a match in 2015, tumbled down the rankings and even suffered a concussion at the US Open when she slipped in the locker room at Flushing Meadows. You have to feel for her. The 22-year-old has a career high ranking of No5 but she’s 47th in the world now and has a tough match against eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky today. Here’s what Bouchard had to say after beating Laura Siegmund in the first round.
I definitely try to put 2015 out of my mind, but it was very tough. It only takes small things to turn it around. I had to tell myself to get my shit together. I don’t ever want to be asked about 2015 again. Starting 2015, I definitely felt a lot of pressure and expectations from the outside world and myself. I just felt so nervous, it was hard to eat before matches and sometimes at other meals, just hard to keep it down. I didn’t try to lose weight, but it definitely happened. It was definitely a cause of the stress.I’ve learned a lot from it, and I know I just have to force food down my throat even if I feel sick because I am burning so many calories.”
Updated
Bonjour! We’ve got Novak Djokovic! We’ve got Rafa Nadal! We’ve got Serena Williams! We’ve got Venus Williams! We’ve got Jo-Wilfried Tsonga v Marcos Baghdatis, Bernard Tomic v Borna Coric, Dominic Thiem v Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Eugenie Bouchard v Timea Bacsinszky, Ana Ivanovic v Kurumi Nara and much, much more. It’s bound to be another top day at Roland Garros.
Play begins at: 10am BST
