French Open order of play, Day 5 – Djokovic, Sabalenka in action as Zverev faces Goffin

The French Open continues on Thursday, May 30 at Roland-Garros, with some of the sports’ biggest stars in second-round action on the clay courts of Paris.

Reigning men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic continues his quest for a fourth Paris title against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena.

World No. 2 and current Australian Open champion Aryna Sabelanka plays on Thursday morning when she takes on ITF Spain champion Moyuka Uchijima.

Elena Rybakina, Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev are also all in action in the French capital.

Djokovic was not as his best as he battled past Pierre-Hugues Herbert, but the world No. 1 has not always needed to be anywhere near that to still prevail at major tournaments.

It seems unlikely. Carballes Baena is an experienced player in his own right at 31, but his highest-ever ranking comes in at No. 49.

The Spanish journeyman would normally pose no threat at all to Djokovic, but the pressure is on the serial winner to prove age is not getting the better of him at last.

The first match-upon Philippe-Chatrier sees 2024’s only Grand Slam winner look to make it two out of two.

Sabalenka won the Australian Open back in January, and she is ranked No. 2 in the world as she trails Iga Swiatek.

Twenty-two year old Japanese player Uchijima is the clear underdog here but her preparation for the tournament came at the ITF Spain event, which went extremely well for her as she won the tournament itself.

Few would expect anything but a win for Sabalenka but she has never won the French Open, with her best effort a semi-final last year.

With British interest in the singles already over, attention turns to the doubles tournaments.

Brits Henry Patten and Luke Johnson are paired with Harri Heliovaara and Skander Mansouri in the men’s doubles and resume their postponed matches

• Moyuka Uchijima v Aryna Sabalenka (2)
• Elina Svitolina (15) v Diane Parry
• Novak Djokovic (1) v Roberto Carballes Baena

• Gael Monfils v Lorenzo Musetti (30)

• Miomir Kecmanovic v Daniil Medvedev (5)
• Arantxa Rus v Elena Rybakina (4)
• Alexander Zverev (4) v David Goffin
• Madison Keys (14) v Mayar Sherif

• Hubert Hurkacz (8) v Brandon Nakashima
• Corentin Moutet v Alexander Shevchenko
• Varvara Gracheva v Bernarda Pera
• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina v Casper Ruud (7)

• Fabian Marozsan v Grigor Dimitrov (10)
• Katie Volynets v Marketa Vondrousova (5)
• Flavio Cobolli v Holger Rune (13)
• Victoria Azarenka (19) v Mirra Andreeva