Stefanos Tsitsipas is a man in a hurry. He walks fast, plays fast and has a business-like on-court demeanour that belies the casual artistry of his play. Blink, and you’ll miss him.
It did not take Pedro Martinez long to discover as much. In the third game, the 103rd-ranked Spaniard carved out three break points against the Tsitsipas serve only to find himself reeled in faster than a prawn en route to a paella.
Martinez broke at the next opportunity, but probably wished he hadn’t as the Greek hit back with a run of four games to seal the opening set and set the tone for a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
If Tsitsipas looks like a man on a mission, it’s because he is. Dominic Thiem’s shock first-round defeat to Pablo Andujar has left a gaping in the lower half of the draw. With Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer all in the upper section, history beckons for Tsitsipas as he seeks a first grand slam title to go with the maiden Masters 1000 crown he won six weeks ago in his adopted hometown of Monte Carlo.
The Greek is seeded to meet world No 2 Daniil Medvedev in the last eight.
“I’ve had good weeks this year, I’ve had some good results, but I feel there’s always better,” said Tsitsipas, who has accumulated more wins this year than any other player on the ATP Tour.
“I don’t see my performance this year as super excellent and outstanding, but I’ve been consistent and that’s very important to maintain. Right now we are here in a big grand slam, a big opportunity exists. I feel like it’s great to be on top, it’s great to be taking the lead from the very beginning of the year, but of course it’s going to be a challenge to maintain that position.”
Tsitsipas will face John Isner in round three after the big-serving American, seeded 31st, saw off Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).
Alexander Zverev, who was projected to meet the departed Thiem in the last eight, earlier defeated Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) before heading off to the practice courts to fine-tune his game. The German, seeded sixth, struggled with the gusty conditions on Court Suzanne Lenglen, hitting 10 double faults.
“I’m happy to be through in three sets,” said the German, who was forced to retrieve a two-set deficit against Osar Otte, another qualifier, in the previous round. “The match definitely wasn’t easy. I’m happy not to have played another five-setter. I think it’s going to be important for me during the course of this tournament.”
Norway’s Casper Ruud could await Zverev in the quarter-finals after the 15th seed overcame Kamil Majchrzak of Poland 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Also through to the third round is Kei Nishikori, who survived a physically testing encounter against 24th seed Karen Khachanov to win 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in just under four hours.
In the night session, second seed Daniil Medvedev doubled his tally of wins at Roland Garros with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory over world No 52 Tommy Paul. The American, who won the junior title at Roland Garros six years ago, drew first blood after breaking in the sixth game of the opening set when Medvedev stabbed a backhand long.
From there, however, the Russian found his rhythm and consistency to set up an intriguing encounter with 32nd seed Reilly Opelka, the 6ft 11in American who recently made the semi-finals of the Rome Masters. It is not a contest that Medvedev, who has made no secret of his aversion to clay, will relish.
“It’s a tough draw, no matter if you play him in a final or the first round,” Medvedev told Eurosport. “He doesn’t give you rhythm. I lost to him in St Petersburg; I was feeling great and had a lot of opportunities in the match but he was serving some aces on important points. So definitely not an easy opponent, but I think clay can help for this one.”