Mirra Andreeva underlined her clay court credentials again at the French Open when the Russian teenager methodically took apart Ashlyn Krueger, and third seed Jessica Pegula also moved into the third round on Thursday.
Andreeva, a surprise Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2024, confirmed her calibre on the sport's slowest surface with runs to the Madrid and Rome quarter-finals this season, and she had to be at her inventive best to beat the powerful Krueger 6-3 6-4.
The 18-year-old sixth seed found herself an early break down on Court Simonne Mathieu but fought back to secure the first set, before mixing up her game with exquisite sliced forehands in the next to see off her American opponent.
"This match wasn't easy, I'd lost to her at the US Open," Andreeva said, reflecting on her second-round defeat by Krueger in New York last August.
"She's a powerful and aggressive player. I knew I had to play well... I suffered and struggled with my serve, but I'm happy I found a way to stay calm.
"I pushed myself to fight until the end."
Jessica Pegula, Krueger's frequent doubles partner this season and French Open third seed, had to battle hard against fellow American Ann Li but found her best level when it mattered to prevail 6-3 7-6(3) in windy conditions.
Up next for the 2024 US Open runner-up is former Paris finalist Marketa Vondrousova, after the Czech sent 25th seed Magdalena Frech packing 6-0 4-6 6-3.
British number one Katie Boulter double-faulted her way out of the French Open in an error-strewn second-round defeat by Madison Keys.
Boulter endured a nightmare debut on an eerily quiet Court Philippe-Chatrier, with the arena almost empty after most of the crowd left following Jannik Sinner's win over Richard Gasquet and the Frenchman’s subsequent retirement party.
Beating Australian Open champion Keys, the seventh seed, was always going to be a big ask for Boulter, but the American did not have to work hard for three of her breaks of serve.
Boulter coughed up double-faults on two break points in the first set, and did the same at the start of the second.
Another double-fault gave Keys her next break point, which she converted with a punishing forehand.
The 28-year-old served up nine in total in a demoralising 6-1 6-3 defeat in an hour and 19 minutes.
Earlier, British number three Sonay Kartal was beaten by Marie Bouzkova in the first match on Thursday.
Kartal had dropped only two games in dispatching Erika Andreeva in the first round, but Czech world number 47 Bouzkova proved too big a step up in class in a 6-1 6-4 victory.
Kartal made a tentative start with a double fault gifting Bouzkova a break of serve in the opening game.
The 23-year-old found herself four games down before she held to at least get on the board.
A superb Kartal forehand down the line brought up three break points, but she was unable to convert any of them.
Another double fault gifted Bouzkova the first set and summed up a pretty miserable 40 minutes of tennis from Kartal.
