(Reuters) - Highlights of the fifth day at the French Open, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Thursday (all times GMT):

1747 DEL POTRO QUELLS NISHIOKA CHALLENGE

Juan Martin del Potro was dragged into a dogfight by Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka but the Argentine, seeded eighth, relied on his experience to prevail 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7(5) 6-2 in three hours and 46 minutes.

1605 BLINKOVA STOPS GARCIA

France's Caroline Garcia, a quarter-finalist in Paris two years ago, fell to Russian qualifier Anna Blinkova who rallied from a set down to prevail 1-6 6-4 6-4.

Meanwhile, in the men's draw, Gael Monfils powered past fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-3 6-4 6-4. World number 146 Antoine Hoang upset Fernando Verdasco 6-4 3-6 7-6(5) 7-5.

1359 RUTHLESS DJOKOVIC DOWNS LAAKSONEN

Novak Djokovic continued his bid to become the first man in the professional era to twice hold all four majors by swatting aside Henri Laaksonen 6-1 6-4 6-3.

1350 ANISIMOVA STUNS SABALENKA

Amanda Anisimova, 17, toppled 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-4 6-2 to become the youngest American to reach the Roland-Garros third round since Serena Williams 20 years ago.

Anisimova beat the Belarusian en route to the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.

1340 ZVEREV BACK IN THE GROOVE

Alexander Zverev thwarted a late comeback attempt by Swede Mikael Ymer to seal a 6-1 6-3 7-6(3) victory that was punctuated by 12 aces and 36 winners.

1332 WILLIAMS MAKES QUICK WORK OF NARA

Serena Williams, who is bidding for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, took only 67 minutes to beat Japan's Kurumi Nara 6-3 6-2 and set up a third round meeting with fellow American Sofia Kenin.

1317 BARTY STROLLS PAST COLLINS

Ashleigh Barty, the eighth seed from Australia, downed American Danielle Collins 7-5 6-1.

1202 OSAKA SURVIVES ANOTHER SCARE TO ADVANCE

Naomi Osaka overcame a sluggish start to rally past double Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka 4-6 7-5 6-3 in their second round clash.

1143 THIEM BATTLES HIS WAY INTO THIRD ROUND

Dominic Thiem, the runner-up last year, defeated Alexander Bublik 6-3 6-7(6) 6-3 7-5 to become only the third Austrian man to win 50 Grand Slam singles matches in the professional era after Thomas Muster (77) and Jurgen Melzer (59).

1110 INJURY ENDS EDMUND'S CAMPAIGN

Pablo Cuevas reached the third round after Britain's Kyle Edmund retired hurt while trailing in the third set. Cuevas was leading 7-6(3) 6-3 2-1 when Edmund quit.

0910 PLAY BEGINS AT ROLAND GARROS

Play began under cloudy skies in Paris with the temperature at 17 degrees Celsius. Rain is expected toward the end of day's play.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar and Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Pritha Sarkar, David Holmes, Christian Radnedge and Toby Davis)