Seeds Muguruza and Halep into last 16 at French Open

PARIS: Fourth seed Garbine Muguruza and sixth seed Simona Halep both reached the last 16 of the French Open on Friday but in contrasting fashions.

With the early exits of Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber and the powerful Victoria Azarenka, the Spaniard and the Romanian are seen as the biggest threats to Serena Williams' bid for a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title.

Williams is in the other half of the draw and has reached the third round without dropping a set.

The 22-year-old Venezuela-born Muguruza, who lost last year's Wimbledon final to Williams, easily saw off the challenge of Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer 6-3, 6-0, winning nine games in a row from 3-3 in the first set.

"I did play very well. I wanted so much to win this match," she said. "I am really motivated at Roland Garros and I hope I can continue like this."

Halep, a losing finalist to Maria Sharapova in Paris two years ago, was stretched by 18-year-old US-based Japanese player Naomi Osaka before pulling through 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.