300 wins and counting for Nadal

Rafael Nadal has produced an imperious show to secure his 300th grand slam match victory, dismantling local hope Corentin Moutet 6-3 6-1 6-4 to book his spot in the French Open third round in Paris yesterday.

Nadal counts 13 Roland Garros titles among his overall 21 majors – the highest among men – and despite his injuryblighted buildup to the claycourt tournament he has looked at his usual best in the first two rounds.

‘‘Preparation hasn’t been perfect so I didn’t expect a perfect start to the tournament,’’ the Spaniard, whose preparations were hampered by a rib injury and a foot problem, said. ‘‘But it has been going quite well. I am positive about the things that I did out there.’’

The fifth seed, who turns 36 next week, will next meet Dutch 26th seed Botic van de Zandschulp with a potential quarterfinal looming against world No 1 Novak Djokovic, who defeated him in last year’s semifinals.

Alexander Zverev overcame a woeful start and saved a match point on his way to beating Argentine Sebastian Baez.

The 25-year-old German survived a late fightback from the world No 36 to win in five sets, 2-6 4-6 6-1 6-2 7-5, but said he ‘‘couldn’t have played worse at the beginning’’.

Djokovic’s 6-2 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory over Slovakia’s Alex Molcan was far more straightforward. Djokovic, 35, cruised through the opening two sets, breaking Molcan’s serve three times.

Molcan, 21, trained by Djokovic’s former long-time coach Marian Vajda, opened up his shoulders in the third and forced a tiebreaker. But Djokovic moved up a gear and converted his second match point when the left-hander found the net with a return.

Elsewhere, rising star and No 6 seed Carlos Alcaraz saved a match point to beat fellow Spaniard Albert RamosVinolas 6-1 6-7 (9-7) 5-7 7-6 (7-2) 6-4.

In the women’s singles, American teenager Coco Gauff moved into the third round after beating Alison van Uytvanck.

Gauff, 18, who celebrated her high school graduation this week with pictures at the Eiffel Tower, beat the Belgian van Uytvanck 6-1 7-6 (7-4).

US Open champion Emma Raducanu was bundled out in the second round, losing 3-6 6-1 6-1 to inspired Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

A third teenager, Leylah Fernandez, beaten by Raducanu in last year’s US Open final, reached the third round with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Katerina Siniakova, of Czech Republic.