Postpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
*Williams 4-2 Gorges
Deuce. Poor Julia.
She has another bite at it though and eventually seals her second service game with a topspin forehand.
Now to try to break the Williams serve...
Summary
Serena Williams to face Maria Sharapova in the fourth round after 6-3 6-3 win over Julia Gorges
Earlier: GB's Kyle Edmund beaten 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-4 6-4 by Italy's Fabio Fognini
Defending champion Rafael Nadal eases past Richard Gasquet into last 16
Sharapova, Simona Halep & Garbine Muguruza win on day seven but Petra Kvitova is out
Postpublished at 18:34 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
'Serena's strategy paying off'published at 18:32 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Russell Fuller
BBC tennis correspondent in ParisSerena Williams has chosen to play doubles as well here at Roland Garros: she needs matches, she says, having not played a clay court tournament for two years.
The strategy seems to be paying off. There’s no sign of a slow start today, although her coach Patrick Mouratoglou suggested some stiffness contributed to her dropping the first set to Ashleigh Barty in the previous round.
Postpublished at 18:32 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 4-1 Goerges*
Gorges smacks down her fifth ace - 15-15. At least she's winning there.
Must be annoying when your opponent starts to read the big serves and responds with big returns.
Anyway, a sixth ace brings up 40-30.
She'll hold won't she?
Del Potro powers into fourth roundpublished at 18:31 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Del Potro 7-5 6-4 6-1 Ramos-Vinolas
Over on Court Philippe Chatrier, fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro has booked his place in the last 16 with a straight-sets win over Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
The Argentine, a former US Open champion, will now face either ninth seed John Isner or France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert who are locked in a tight first set as we speak.
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros"Aaaargh!" Serena has talked about feeling like a superhero in her catsuit - she roared like one as she powered down a forehand volley to take the first break point of the match.
A release of emotion or an intimidatory warning? Maybe both.
Postpublished at 18:29 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 4-1 Gorges*
Has Williams broken (I mean that in the traditional sense) Gorges?
The German steams into the net to put away a simple volley and fluffs her lines - badly.
It's soon 40-0.
Make that love hold Williams, with Gorges unable to return from out wide.
Williams has just sunk some superhero juice.
Williams breakspublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
*Williams 3-1 Gorges
And she saves the second with a shot from the baseline beyond Williams.
Deuce.
An error from the German hands Williams break point again, which Gorges saves with her fourth ace.
Another error from the German brings up yet another break point for the American.
Williams, this time, takes the opportunity by charging to the net to swat away an inadequate drop-shot.
Postpublished at 18:24 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
*Williams 2-1 Goeges
Williams has read the Gorges second serve, which is loopy and short. So what do you do? You come into the net, which Williams did to take the first point.
Gorges levels. But Williams comes into the net again.
Suddenly it's two break points for Williams.
Gorges saves the first....
Postpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 2-1 Gorges*
Did Serena Williams just mutter "c'mon" to herself?
She's 30-15 up then smacks an angled forehand from the corner beyond the German - textbook Serena.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion holds after forcing an error from her opponent, following another big first serve.
Does this first set have the feeling of going to a tie-break?
Image source, Getty ImagesPostpublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland GarrosWow. That has quietened the crowd. Gorges shows those who didn't know that her racquet unleashes more power than a bazooka when she is serving. Serena only got one ball back in an easy hold to love for the German.
Postpublished at 18:17 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 1-1 Gorges*
Gorges has a huuuuge serve.
An ace sees her race to 40-0 - each ace sees some cash donated to charity. Touch.
The 29-year-old seals the game to love with a double-handed backhand arrowed down the court.
Postpublished at 18:15 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
*Williams 1-0 Gorges
Gorges wins the next point but then snatches with a forehand return that creeps the wrong side of the tram line.
40-30
The German then levels.
Deuce.
Williams comes through it with two big serves.
That wasn't a particularly easy first service game for the veteran.
Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland GarrosGorges might be a big server but she doesn't want to unleash it on Serena quite yet, opting to let the American go first with ball in hand. Interesting choice.
No surprises who the crowd favourite here is. Clue: She's won 23 Grand Slam titles.
Postpublished at 18:12 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 0-0 Gorges*
Mis-hit half-volley? Williams 15-0.
It's rammed inside the ol' Suzanne-Lenglen. A bit shadowy though - late sun and all that.
30-0.
Gorges wins her first point with a slightly fortunate volley which just landed in.
30-15.
Ready?published at 18:10 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams 0-0 Gorges*
Play.
Williams has the edgepublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams v Gorges
In the many, many years both have been professionals they have only met each other twice.
Williams has beat Gorges both occasions - which includes their meeting on this very clay back in 2010 in the second round... the American went on to triumph at the French Open that year.
OK, it was in the doubles.
'I watched Julia a lot when I was pregnant'published at 18:08 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams v Gorges
Image source, ReutersHere's Serena Williams on today's opponent: "Well, she's [Goerges] been playing really, really well, and I had actually been watching her play a lot when I was pregnant, because she's been winning a lot and they show a lot of her matches.
"Every round for me is just an opportunity to go out there and do the best that I can do, and whether I win or lose, that's what I'm out here to do in this tournament."
Ready to serve a treat?published at 18:06 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
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Postpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros
Image source, BBC SportName on the back of a football shirt - that’s when you know you’re a super-fan. Especially when it’s not the name of a footballer, nor the shirt of your country of birth.
Anaïs from Switzerland, as you’ve guessed, is a Sharapova nut. The number ‘5’ emblazoned on the back symbolising the number of Slams that Shara has won, of course.
She’s heading over to Lenglen to watch Serena and is hoping the American can set up a blockbuster last-16 match against her fave.
“We leave on Monday so it will be difficult to see the match if it happens,” she says.
“But I want to see it because they are two former number ones and they have a great rivalry.”
'Superhero' eyes Sharapova clashpublished at 17:59 British Summer Time 2 June 2018
Williams v Gorges
Image source, Rex FeaturesThen again maybe she isn't 'eyeing' it - maybe Serena will treat a potential last-16 match against the Russian, who she has had a mini war of words with, as just another last-16 Grand Slam match?
Yeah, right!
Anywayyyyyyyy - before she can get pumped up about that, tennis' intrepid superhero must don the suit once more and overcome Julia Gorges, who is 29 now and never been beyond the fourth round of any Grand Slam. However, the German is ranked 11th in the world having reached two WTA finals this year.
As the sporting parlance goes, she is 'in form'.
Live text commentary of this match coming up.