Murray limps through as Nadal coasts to third round

Andy Murray and defending champion Rafael Nadal both reached the third round of the French Open yesterday, but their manner of going through could not have been more different.

The British fourth seed beat Jarkko Nieminen 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2, but he had looked down and out in the first few games of the match as he struggled to shake off back spasms and pain in his left leg.

In stark contrast, Nadal took his Roland Garros match record to 47-1 with a straightforward 6-2, 6-2, 6-0 win over Denis Istomin, of Uzbekistan.

Elsewhere, fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga completed a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over qualifier Cedrik-Marcel Stebe in a match interrupted by rain while David Ferrer coasted past Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-3, 6-2.

Grimacing in pain and clutching his back and legs, Murray needed medical treatment three times in quick succession as grim-faced coach Ivan Lendl looked on.

But at a set and 4-2 down, Murray suddenly found a new lease of life and a run of seven games in a row in his favour gave him command.

There was no such drama for Nadal.

The Spaniard, who will turn 25 during the tournament, is seeking to win a record seventh French Open title, taking him out of tie for the most wins he currently shares with Bjorn Borg.

Istomin struggled throughout to deal with the heavy top-spin barrage that Nadal fired his way.

Murray’s next opponent in the third round will be Colombian Santiago Giraldo who beat Australian 25th seed Bernard Tomic 6-4, 6-1, 6-3.

In women’s singles, Caroline Wozniacki stayed on course for a showdown with Maria Sharapova in a quarter of the draw blown wide open by Serena Williams’s shock exit.

Wozniacki, seeded nine this year and a quarter-finalist in 2010, breezed past Jarmila Gajdosova 6-1, 6-4 for a sixth win in six meetings against the Australian.

Gajdosova, now at 72 in the world after playing as a seed in Paris 12 months ago, paid a heavy price for her 40 unforced errors on a chilly Philippe Chatrier court.

Denmark’s Wozniacki will next face 23rd seed Kaia Kanepi with the prize of a place in the last 16 up for grabs and a huge opportunity to progress further following the elimination of Williams.

“I’m happy and healthy,” said Wozniacki, who suffered ankle problems in Madrid and breathing difficulties in Rome in the run-up to Roland Garros.

China’s defending champion Li Na was also a comfortable winner, breezing past France’s Stephanie Foretz Gacon 6-0, 6-2 in just 52 minutes.

The 30-year-old seventh seed has looked impressive in Paris after dropping just three games in her opening round.

Fourth seeded Petra Kvitova, a potential quarter-final foe for Li Na, also coasted into the third round with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Poland’s Urszula Radwanska.