PARIS (AP) — Defending women's champion Iga Swiatek joined No.1-rankedAryna Sabalenkain the fourth round ofthe French Openon Friday and neither player has dropped a set so far. Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam winner who has only once reached the semifinals at the French Open, beat Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where Friday's hot weather contrasted with previous days. "The ball flies much faster," Sabalenka said. "The bounces are much higher." Swiatek, who has won four of her five major titles at Roland-Garros, defeated Jaqueline Cristian 6-2, 7-5 on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to extend her French Open winning streak to 23 matches. But a second set lasting 1 hour, 16 minutes tested the 23-year-old Polish player, who yelled in relief after winning on her second match point. "She used her chances and just went for it," said Swiatek, who enjoyed temperatures which reached 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit). "For sure I don't mind. On clay it gives the balls the extra bounce." Sabalenka and Swiatek, who had 20 winners and 21 unforced errors in her win, have been in contrasting form. The 27-year-old Sabalenka has reachedsix singles finalsthis year, the most for a woman entering Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2013. But Swiatek is looking to reach her first final anywhere since winning her third straight French Open title, and fourth overall, here last year. Swiatek is looking to become the first woman to win here four successive times in the Open era. Her first title came in 2020. Her other major wasin 2022 at the U.S. Open. Asked who was under the most pressure to win this year's French Open — her or Swiatek — Sabalenka said, jokingly: "Let's just leave it on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row?" Defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain was in action later Friday. The No.2-ranked Alcaraz faced Damir Dzumhur, whohurt his left knee during a fallin his second-round win. What else happened at the French Open on Friday? In other women's play, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen beat 18-year-old qualifierVictoria Mboko6-3, 6-4, while No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and Liudmila Samsonova also advanced. In men's third-round play, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy beat Mariano Navone, No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark beat Frenchman Quentin Halys in five sets and 12th-seeded American Tommy Paul did the same against No. 24 Karen Khachanov, while No. 25 Alexei Popyrin of Australia also advanced. Who is on the schedule at Roland-Garros on Saturday? Novak Djokovic plays in the night session Saturday, much to his frustration as he had hoped to play earlier so he could watch the Champions League final in Germany between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan on TV. The 24-time major winner, who recently won his100th career title, faces qualifier Filip Misolic. If Djokovic wins quickly, though, he may be able to catch the end of the soccer final, which starts at 1900 GMT (3 p.m. ET). Or possibly extra time. In remaining third-round men's play, Alexander Zverev —last year's runner-up— takes on Flavio Cobolli on Court Philippe-Chatrier, while No. 1 Jannik Sinner — who beat Zverev in this year'sAustralian Open final— faces Jiri Lehecka on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Over on Court Simonne-Mathieu, British hope Jack Draper plays 18-year-old rising Brazilian starJoao Fonseca. They are followed by Cameron Norrie vs. Jacob Fearnley, guaranteeing a British player in the fourth round. In remaining third-round women's play, former U.S. Open championCoco Gaufffaces Marie Bouzkova on Court Philippe-Chatrier, and No. 3Jessica Pegula, the runner-up at last year's U.S. Open, plays former Wimbledon championMarketa Vondrousovaearlier on the same court. There is an all-American contest on Court Suzanne-Lenglen between currentAustralian Open champion Madison Keysand former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, whowon that major in 2020, the year she went on to losein the French Open finalto Swiatek. ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
