Nadal and Djokovic reach round 3 of the French Open

Serbian world number one Novak Djokovic and defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain both secured their place in third round of the Roland Garros Championships with relatively easy wins over Gilles Muller and Nicolas Almagro respectively.

World number one Djokovic beat Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller 6-1 6-4 6-4, despite treatment on his lower back.

“I just feel more complete as a player in terms of ability to handle the emotions on the court, to find a way to win the tough matches,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference.

“Physically just matured. Just mentally knowing what to do, how to approach the big tournaments, big matches — and how to keep that consistency going, not to have many ups and downs.

“So I like the player that I am today more than the one that I was in 2011, even though I had the best season of my career.”

Djokovic needed only 106 minutes to eliminate Luxembourg’s Muller and, toward the end, he started to move with more freedom. On the second-to-last point, Djokovic made a lunging crosscourt forehand that dropped in for a winner.

“There is always a little bit of extra motivation for me coming to Roland Garros,” Djokovic said. “I’m here once again with a purpose, with a reason, and I will try to get myself in a position to win a trophy.”

Earlier, the No. 6-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced relatively easily, too. He methodically took apart Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3, 6-1. Nadal had lost only one of their past 13 methods and he never looked likely of worsening that record as he cruised to a dominant 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“The score is easier than what the match was like,” Nadal said of the 2-hour, 19-minute match. “Very happy, I think I did a few things very well.”

The two tennis heavyweights now remain on course for a titanic meeting in the quarter-finals, which would give Djokovic the chance to exact some revenge on the Spaniard after defeat in last year’s final.