Sinner cruises past Kotov to reach last-16 at French Open

Second seed Jannik Sinner moved into the last-16 at the French Open in Paris on Friday following a business-like 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over the unseeded Russian Pavel Kotov.

The 22-year-old Italian wrapped up the first set in 50 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier. 

He broke to take a 2-1 lead in the second set and confirmed for 3-1. He came through a slight wobble in his next service game as Kotov hit more freely but held to lead 4-2. A second ace gave him the second set 6-4 after one hour and 47 minutes.

A break in the fifth game of the third set effectively sealed Kotov's doom and Sinner played well within his prodigious talents to conclude proceedings after two hours and 27 minutes.

Sinner's less heralded compatriots Matteo Arnaldi and Elisabetta Cocciaretto pulled off shocks.

Arnaldi upset an out-of-sorts Andrey Rublev in straight sets.

The 23-year-old beat the sixth seed 7-6, 6-2, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

"I had a lot of opportunities," Rublev lamented. "I had a lot of chances and I didn't take them. Then in one moment, I completely lost it.

"I had so many chances to come back, to lead again and I didn't make it, I didn't make it, I didn't make it.

"I was keeping it inside and when I lost my serve for a second time in the second set, I lost it completely."

Performance

In the top half of the women's draw, Elisabetta Cocciaretto saw off another Russian in straight sets. Cocciaretto dispatched the 17th seed Liudmila Samsonova 7-6, 6-2 to reach the last-16 at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time.

"I'm really, really happy about it," said the 23-year-old. "And of course being for the first time in the second week of a Grand Slam, it's unbelievable.

"But the thing is that I'm not thinking that I'm in a second week but trying to keep the focus on point by point, match by match. Just enjoying it and improve myself.

Third seed Coco Gauff dispatched the 30th seed Dayana Yastremska from Ukraine 6-2, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen to move into the fourth round for the fourth time in five visits.

"I was just trying to be solid," said Gauff. "She's a very aggressive player who can hit winners and also make mistakes so I was just trying to be solid and be aggressive when I could."