Fitzgerald Cecilio

Paris, France

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic became the sixth active player to win 500 tour-level matches with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 triumph over 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the French Open.

Djokovic broke serve to begin the match and never looked back, winning 81 percent of his first serve points and converting seven breaks to clinch the victory in one hour and 43 minutes.

With the victory, Djokovic became the 40th player on the ATP Tour to join the 500 match wins club. Before Djokovic, David Ferrer was the most recent player to reach the landmark win total, achieving the feat at the Australian Open.

For a place in the quarterfinal, Djokovic will battle No. 16 seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat Victor Hanescu, 6-0, 7-6(0), 6-1.

Meanwhile, seven-time champion Rafael Nadal did not drop a set en route to a 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-4 win over Italy's Fabio Fognini. In the fourth round, Nadal will face Kei Nishikori, who beat France's Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-1.

With his win over Paire, Nishikori became the first Japanese man since 1938 to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros. He is also the highest-ranked Japanese player in the history of the ATP Rankings.

In other matches, world No. 9 Richard Gasquet dismissed Nikolay Davydenko, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round against Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, who eliminated Poland's Jerzy Janowicz, 6-3, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-3.

Former World No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny dismissed an ailing Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time since a quarter-final showing in 2010.

Youzhny will meet Tommy Haas, who defeated John Isner, 7-5, 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-7(10), 10-8, in four hours and 37 minutes.

On the women's side, 18th seed Jelena Jankovic ousted ninth seed Samantha Stosur, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the fourth round.

Next up for Jankovic is another upset artist Jamie Hampton, who eliminated seventh seed Petra Kvitova, 6-1, 7-6 (7).

Second seed Maria Sharapova also advanced to the next round with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Zheng Jie. In the fourth round, she will face Sloane Stephens, who beat Marina Erakovic, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.

Also advancing to the fourth round were Francesca Schiavone, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Maria Kirilenko and Victoria Azarenka.

Novak Djokovic Reaches 500-Match Win Plateau at French Open