Serena Williams survives tough three-setter to make French Open third round

• Williams defeats Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
• Daniil Medvedev fight back to beat Tommy Paul

It remains to be seen whether Serena Williams can play herself into form over the coming days and rise to become a true contender for the French Open title but her effort alone cannot be faulted. The three-times Roland Garros champion moved into the third round by punctuating an arduous three-setter with a strong finish, beating Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 to advance.

The victory, only her third of the clay season, may not have been convincing but during this uncertain period every victory marks a small step forward. After looking sublime in Australia, beating two top-10 players before losing in the semi-finals to the eventual champion, Naomi Osaka, she spent three months away and her absence has shown.