Nadal, Djokovic, Serena eye Paris last-32

Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal and top seeds Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams target places in the French Open third round on Thursday.

Nadal faces Nicolas Almagro boasting a 12-1 career advantage over his fellow Spaniard but wary of the danger posed by a man who beat him on clay in Barcelona only last year.

World number one Djokovic tackles Luxembourg's 55th-ranked Gilles Muller who he defeated in their only previous meeting at the Australian Open in January this year as the Serb went on to claim a fifth title in Melbourne.

Djokovic is seeking a first French Open title which would make him just the eighth man to complete the career Grand Slam.

Britain's third seed Andy Murray, twice a semi-finalist in Paris, faces Portugal's Joao Sousa defending a 5-0 career record.

However, all of those meetings came on hard courts.

Women's top seed Serena Williams, a two-time champion, should have few problems against Anna-Lena Friedsam, the world number 105 player from Germany.

The two women have never met before.

French Open order of play on showcourts on Thursday, the fifth day of the 2015 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeded player; 0900 GMT start):

Court Philippe Chatrier

Julia Goerges (GER) v Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x5)

Nicolas Almagro (ESP) v Rafael Nadal (ESP x6)

Andy Murray (GBR x3) v Joao Sousa (POR)

Danka Kovinic (MNE) v Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)

Court Suzanne Lenglen

Petra Kvitova (CZE x4) v Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP)

Serena Williams (USA x1) v Anna-Lena Friedsam (GER)

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) v Gilles Muller (LUX)

Richard Gasquet (FRA x20) v Carlos Berlocq (ARG)

Court N.1

Francesca Schiavone (ITA) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x18)

Lucie Hradecka (CZE) v Victoria Azarenka (BLR x27)

Jeremy Chardy (FRA) v John Isner (USA x16)

Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) v David Ferrer (ESP x7)
Source: AFP