Stanislas Wawrinka remains on course to retain the French Open title after beating Taro Daniel in straight sets to reach the third round of the Grand Slam on Wednesday.
© AFP
The Swiss, who was pushed to five sets by Lukas Rosol in the first round, had a more comfortable time on the clay court in Paris today as he sealed a 7-6(7) 6-3 6-4 victory.
It was difficult to separate the two in the opening set as games went by the way of serve, but it could have been a different story had Wawrinka not squandered four early break points.
The set eventually ended with a tie-break, which Wawrinka edged 9-7 before snatching serve at the first time of asking in the second set.
Daniel failed to create a single break point in the second set, but he put up more of a fight in the third when he broke Wawrinka instantly.
Later in the set, though, the two-time Grand Slam champion battled to a double break to take the set and the match.
Danielle Joynson
