NICK Kyrgios wasn't the only Australian young gun issued with a sharp reminder yesterday of the distance they still must travel in order to mix it with the best in world tennis.

His pal Thanasi Kokkinakis, playing here on a wild card, was powerless to prevent world No 1 Novak Djokovic booking his place in the last 16 for the sixth successive year. The 19-year-old from Adelaide went down 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to the Serb, unable to generate so much as a solitary break point in the process.

But then just being here on Court Philippe Chatrier was a success story for the lanky 6ft 5in right hander with the big forehand.

This was his first time in the third round of a Grand Slam, a feat secured by a five-set win against his countryman Bernard Tomic from two sets down. Moreover, the world No 84 was coming off a fortuitous couple of weeks. He warmed up for Roland Garros by winning his first Challenger title as a qualifier at Bordeaux, having only entered the tournament due to a fire at Rome Airport which prevented him flying to compete in qualifying.

Typically for this level-headed youngster, there was no beating himself up about it after his defeat. "It just shows kind of where I need to get to," he said.

Djokovic, who has lost just two matches all year, is so good these days that he doesn't even need to practise any more. As he pursues the only Grand Slam title to elude him, at a venue where he has suffered two final defeats to Rafael Nadal, he didn't hit a single ball before playing yesterday, after a minor issue with his groin against Gilles Muller the day before. He now faces Richard Gasquet, who was a popular winner when he saw off Kevin Anderson 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, 6-4.

"I think that tennis needs players like Thanasi, who is a teenager but still able to come out on centre court and play with courage and play with power and believe in himself," said Djokovic. "I thought he served well. But I made the three breaks each set, and that was enough for the win."

The most eagerly-awaited quarter- final in modern tennis history remains on track after Nadal's pursuit of La Decima continued with him making short work of Andrey Kuznetsov, of Russia. The Mallorcan admitted he was chuffed with his tournament after his 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 win. "It would be not fair if I say that I am not happy about what happened this first week, being in the fourth round without losing a set and playing solid, consistent [tennis]," said Nadal. "That's what I needed to do. Then the second week arrives, and you know that you have to go that extra step."

Nadal now faces Jack Sock, the 22-year-old from Nebraska who is the advance party of that aspiring young generation. He was a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 winner against Croatian teenager Borna Coric, while seventh seed David Ferrer survived a scare against Simone Bolelli, of Italy, to remain a formidable obstacle in Andy Murray's path. Ferrer will face US Open champion Marin Cilic for the right to be his potential quarter-final opponent.

In the mixed doubles, Jamie Murray and his partner Elina Svitolina, of Ukraine, went down 6-3, 6-3 to Mike Bryan and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, of the USA.

Another item of interest to British tennis was an ITF ruling which will preclude Aljaz Bedene, the naturalised Slovenian player, from competing for Great Britain in the Davis Cup. The LTA are appealing.