Evert, Lendl Advance in France

PARIS —  Ivan Lendl and Chris Evert moved a step closer to retaining their French Open singles titles with impressive third-round victories in the $3-million clay court tournament today.

Top-seeded Lendl blasted Frenchman Thierry Tulasne 7-6, 6-2, 6-2. Third-seeded Evert dispatched Switzerland’s Eva Krapl 6-2, 6-0 in just 55 minutes and looked like a strong candidate to win her eighth French title. Before Evert can extend her reign she will likely face top seed Martina Navratilova in the semifinals. Navratilova, who has not won a tournament this year, played her best match here so far, a 6-1, 6-1 destruction of Austrian Petra Huber.