Andy Murray faces Joao Sousa in French Open second round

Murray's best performances at the French Open were his runs to the semi-finals in 2011 and 2014

Andy Murray and Heather Watson face familiar opponents in the French Open second round on Thursday.

Murray plays Portugal's Joao Sousa for the sixth time, on Court Philippe-Chatrier at about 14:30 BST.

Fellow British number one Heather Watson takes on American Sloane Stephens for the fifth time, on court seven at about 16:00 BST.

Kyle Edmund withdrew before his match against Nick Kyrgios of Australia with a stomach injury.

World number one Novak Djokovic, nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal and two-time champion Serena Williams are also in action on day five.

Top seed Djokovic takes on Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, Nadal faces fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, and Williams plays Germany's Anna-Lena Friedsam.

Murray has a 5-0 record against Sousa, the world number 44, including a straight-set win at the Australian Open in January, but they have never met on clay.

The Scot might benefit from having experienced the conditions on the main Chatrier court when he beat Argentina's Facundo Arguello there in his opening match on Sunday.

"Philippe Chatrier, is very slow, extremely slow," said Murray. "I have never felt it like that before.

"When I practised on the outside courts and the sun is out, it's always pretty quick, high bouncing. Suzanne Lenglen, a little bit slower than the outside courts, but still it's not that slow. I didn't feel it.

"But Centre Court is very low bouncing, which is strange. Yeah, very slow and heavy."

As well as beating Stephens in Hobart in January, Watson has beaten the American in Toronto, Estoril and Stanford

Watson has won all four of her previous meetings with Stephens, who beat seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round.

"I have a good record against Sloane. Every time I've played her I've played very well," said the 23-year-old Briton, ranked five places lower at 45 in the world.

"I expect her to be playing her best tennis here at a Grand Slam and hopefully I will too.

"I feel exactly the same whoever I play. I'm focused and kind of in my zone."