Rafael, Novak into last 16

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal moved to within one win of a French Open quarter-final blockbuster Saturday as the sport's next generation endured a Grand Slam reality check.

World number one and top seed Djokovic reached the last-16 for the sixth straight year with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over 19-year-old Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis.

Defending champion Nadal, chasing a 10th title in Paris, brushed aside Russian world number 120 Andrey Kuznetsov, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2.

Third-seeded Andy Murray, twice a semi-finalist, was also untroubled as he cruised to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Kokkinakis's 20-year-old compatriot Nick Kyrgios.

It was a chastening day for the sport's youngsters at Roland Garros with Kokkinakis and Kyrgios joined at the exit door by 18-year-old Croatian Borna Coric, defeated by Amercia's Jack Sock, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4.

Djokovic, bidding for a first Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam, will face either South African 15th seed Kevin Anderson or French 20th seed Richard Gasquet for a place in the quarter-finals.

There was no sign of the hip problem which bothered him in his second round as he swept past his world number 84 opponent.

Nine-time champion Nadal reached the fourth round courtesy of eight breaks of the Kuznetsov serve.

Nadal will tackle unseeded Sock who, at 22, became the youngest American man to make the last-16 since Pete Sampras in 1993.

Kyrgios, the 29th seed and bidding to add a first French Open last-16 place to his runs to the 2014 Wimbledon and 2015 Australian Open quarter-finals, wasn't helped by requiring a medical timeout for an elbow injury late in the second set against Murray.

Murray, who fired 12 aces and 45 winners while Kyrgios was undone by 37 unforced errors, goes on to face unseeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy who surprised 17th seeded Belgian David Goffin 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Marin Cilic, the ninth-seeded US Open champion, continued his quiet progress to reach the fourth round for the third time.

The 26-year-old eased past Leonardo Mayer, the Argentine 23rd seed, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 and will take on either 2013 runner-up David Ferrer or Simone Bolelli for a quarter-final slot.

In the women's tournament, Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova powered into the last 16 at the French Open on Saturday.

The fourth seed from the Czech Republic outplayed Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2 in just 58 minutes.

Next up for Kvitova will be a fourth round tie against Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland who upset 16th seeded American Madison Keys 6-4, 6-2.

Also through to the last 16 in early play was Italian Sara Errani, who gained revenge on Andrea Petkovic of Germany 6-3, 6-3.

There was disappointment though for another Italian, Francesca Schiavone, who lost 7-5, 6-4 to Andreea Mitu of Romania.