On Saturday at the French Open, spectators at Court Suzanne-Lenglen erupted into applause when Jiri Lehecka finally secured a game against Jannik Sinner, who delivered an outstanding performance. Demonstrating his exceptional form, Sinner extended his Grand Slam streak to 17 matches, affirming his prowess as the top-ranked male player.
Sinner decisively defeated Lehecka 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 in just an hour and 34 minutes, marking the swiftly concluded men’s match at this year’s tournament. This scoreline represents the most one-sided victory of Sinner’s major tournament career with respect to the number of games lost.
Reflecting on his performance, Sinner remarked, “We strive for improvement every game. Today, I believe there wasn’t much to enhance.” His commanding display backed his confidence.
Consider Sinner’s impressive statistics: 31 winners against just nine unforced errors, 18 break points achieved with seven converted, and only a single break point faced, which he successfully defended. He claimed the first 11 games consecutively. When Lehecka finally won a game, trailing 6-0, 5-1 after 55 minutes, he mockingly celebrated, prompting an encouraging response from the audience.
Despite his struggles in this match, Lehecka, ranked 34th and a Grand Slam quarterfinalist in his own right, could not match the dominant Sinner. Sinner, who has claimed the last two major titles at the U.S. Open and Australian Open, continues an unbeaten run that this century has only rivaled by the likes of Djokovic, Federer, and Nadal.
Sinner’s quest for his first French Open trophy and fourth Grand Slam overall continues on Monday. He will meet Andrey Rublev, ranked No. 17, for a chance at the quarterfinals. Rublev advanced due to Arthur Fils’ tournament withdrawal stemming from a stress fracture.
In other notable events at Roland-Garros, Novak Djokovic successfully advanced to the fourth round for the 16th consecutive year, defeating Filip Misolic in straight sets. Last year, Djokovic exited the tournament prematurely due to a knee injury. Interestingly, his win coincided with Paris Saint-Germain’s victory in the UEFA Champions League final.
Saturday also saw American Jessica Pegula, seeded third and U.S. Open runner-up, overcoming 2019 French Open finalist Marketa Vondrousova in three sets to reach the fourth round. Teenage sensation Hailey Baptiste, ranked 70th, progressed to the second week of a major for the first time, and she’ll face either Madison Keys or Sofia Kenin next. In other matches, Russian Mirra Andreeva secured a spot in the fourth round against Daria Kasatkina.
Additionally, the American Ethan Quinn fought through another five-setter but ultimately succumbed to Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor. Quinn’s tenacity wasn’t enough to halt Griekspoor, who advanced to challenge last year’s finalist, Alexander Zverev.
Looking ahead to Sunday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and reigning champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz are scheduled for fourth-round play. Three American male players—Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton, and Frances Tiafoe—will be in action, marking a first in Paris since 1995.