Nadal to face 'good friend' Gasquet

Rafael Nadal set up a French Open third-round clash with his "good friend" and home darling Richard Gasquet by thrashing Argentina's Guido Pella on Thursday.

The top seed had struggled at times against lucky loser Simone Bolelli in the first round, but was back to his best as he raced to a 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 victory.

The 31-year-old will next face Gasquet, whom he has beaten 15 times from as many meetings in professional tennis, on Saturday.

"I have a great relationship with him always, since we were kids," said Nadal.

"We met each other for the first time when we were 12. First thing is he's a very good person, no? He's a very normal guy. We practiced hundreds of times together. He came to Mallorca.

"He's one of the guys on the tour that creates good atmosphere. He always has a positive attitude.

"I like him a lot... and it will be a good match against a good friend in the most important place in my career, and for him a very special place, too."

Nadal has never shown much mercy to Frenchman Gasquet on the court, though, and has won 25 consecutive sets against his fellow 31-year-old.

The pair were seen as two of the best young players in the world when they launched their professional careers, but it is Nadal who has gone on to win 16 Grand Slam titles, while Gasquet has never managed to reach a major final.

Earlier, Argentinian fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro eased into third round by ending the Roland Garros farewell of home favourite Julien Benneteau.

Former US Open champion Del Potro will next play Spanish 31st seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas for a last-16 spot after winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.

It was the 36-year-old Benneteau's final French Open campaign before retirement, but he never threatened an upset against the big-hitting Del Potro.

In the women's singles, two-time champion Maria Sharapova edged closer to a possible French Open last-16 duel with old rival Serena Williams, who rallied from a set down to beat Ashleigh Barty of England to win the game 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Serena, the three-time champion and former world number one, dressed again in her all-black catsuit, is playing her first Slam since winning the 2017 Australian Open while two months pregnant.

The 36-year-old, seeking a 24th Grand Slam title, will face either Germany's Julia Goerges or Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium for a place in the last 16.

Sharapova, the 2012 and 2014 champion in Paris, needed five match points to see off Croatia's Donna Vekic 7-5, 6-4 in a tie which featured 10 breaks of serve.

Sharapova, seeded 28 this year, will face Czech sixth seed Karolina Pliskova for a place in the fourth round.