Novak Djokovic cruises into French Open third round with straight-sets win over Portugal's Joao Sousa

The World No 2 beat Sousa 6-1 6-4 6-3 although looked a little short of his top form

Novak Djokovic celebrates his victory with the Roland Garros ball boys (Getty)

Defending champion Novak Djokovic moved into the third round of the French Open with a 6-1 6-4 6-3 victory over World No 59 Joao Sousa, but looked a long way short of hitting top form despite winning in straight sets on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Djokovic is hoping to win at Roland-Garros for a second successive year to become only the third man in history, after Roy Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each of the Grand Slams twice.

He comfortably saw off Marcel Granollers 6-3 6-4 6-2 in the opening round and started in similarly brisk fashion against Sousa, who has never qualified for the third round of a Slam.

Djokovic broke twice early on in the first set to race into a 5-0 lead, looking in complete control of the match.

But after wrapping up the first set 6-1, he experienced some difficulty in the second and made a series of uncharacteristically sloppy errors.

Having conceded the opening set in just 30 minutes, Sousa broke Djokovic at the beginning of the second and was handed the chance to serve for a 4-1 lead when the favourite blasted a routine forehand wide.


 Sousa returns a Djokovic shot in the second set 
 (Getty)

But the Portuguese player was unable to hold his nerve. Djokovic broke him back immediately and then broke later into the set to take a commanding 2-0 lead.

Under the watchful eye of new coach Andre Agassi, Djokovic recovered his poise to take the match 6-1 6-4 6-3.

The World No 2 will now play Diego Schwartzman for a place in the fourth round, and the Argentinian knows he will have to raise his game if he is to somehow upset the Serb.


 Sousa was swept aside by the defending champion (Getty)
 (GettyJoao Sousa)

“I need to improve everything against him,” Schwartzman said after defeating the Italian Stefano Napolitano 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

"I need to improve and be focused on Thursday on my recovery with the legs, with my team, trying to fix my body to be perfect against Novak. And if nothing, I will try to play better than in my last two matches.

“I need to play more than 100% of my tennis to beat him. But I have confidence. It’s my second time playing on Philippe Chatrier and I will try to enjoy it. It’s the third round. I have matches already there and, if nothing, I try to enjoy it and play good tennis.”