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Paire is an angry man; Isner just won't stop running

Benoit Paire was an angry man after being penalised a point © Getty Images

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Paying the penalty

Benoit Paire felt the full force of officialdom during his clash with Kei Nishikori, with the Frenchman penalised a point penalty for coaching. Paire was given a warning earlier in the match after smashing his racket in frustration and the penalty came when umpire Enric Molina felt he was being coached. The incident did not sit well with Paire or the home crowd on Suzanne Lenglen, as it came when Paire had break point. The referee was called on court, but it did not change the ruling. Nishikori took the game, but Paire steeled himself to take the set in a tiebreak. The victory went to Nishikori who took a tight third set before racing through the fourth.

Serving up a storm

Victoria Azarenka came through a tough test against Alize Cornet, but a lot of the hard work was down to her own shortcomings. The Belarusian struggled with her usually brilliant forehand, but it was her serving that the most alarming. Azarenka rarely struggles on serve, but against Cornet she was broken six times and sent down 10 double faults.

Nishikori a record breaker

Kei Nishikori has been tipped to make a big impact in the game and in beating Benoit Paire in four sets, he broke a long-standing Japanese record. His win means he is the first Japanese player to reach the fourth round of the French Open since 1938. Fumituru Nakano was the man who made the fourth round where he lost to Frantisek Cejnar.

Haas makes it 13th time lucky

It is no secret that John Isner loves a good fightback - but even he could not stop 35-year-old Tommy Haas reach the French Open last 16 for the first time in his career. Isner came from two sets down to level, somehow saving 12 match points before Haas finally put the American to bed at the 13th attempt. The Court One crowd simply dared not to move from the seats during the four hours and 36 minutes epic, which saw three sets go over the hour mark. It was a mystery as to how both players were still lunging about the court in the 18th game of the fifth set .

Djokovic lays down a marker

While Rafael Nadal did not reach optimum performance in his victory over Fabio Fognini, Novak Djokovic was busy laying down his own credentials to avenge his 2012 Paris final defeat to the Spaniard. The world No. 1 was in imperious mood to destroy the challenge of dangerous youngster Grigor Dimitrov, seeing off the Bulgarian in straight sets. Djokovic's forehand was simply sublime throughout his victory on the Phillipe Chatrier court, as he wrapped up victory in less than two hours. The Serb looks every inch a champion and plenty would not bet against him from securing his first Roland Garros title.

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