PARIS (AP) —

Novak Djokovic hopes it’s just the beginning of a fruitful working relationship with Andre Agassi.

With his new coach watching, Djokovic ground out a 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 win against unheralded Argentine Diego Schwartzman.

He needed Agassi’s soothing words and calm analysis after a much tougher match than most expected.

“I hope that we can create something that is going to go long term,” said the second-seeded Djokovic, the defending French Open champion. “He’s someone with a very positive mindset about tennis and life in general. He likes to just focus on the right frames and just get the best out of it.”

Djokovic has won 12 Grand Slam titles, while the 47-year-old Agassi won eight majors and, like Djokovic, is one of the rare players to have won all four of them.

“You get that sense from him that he knows exactly what he’s talking about. One of his virtues is the ability to actually simplify and make it very clear,” Djokovic said. “He is very bright, very genuine. Very good soul, good heart, cares about the game, cares about others and always tries to be kind to others.”

Venus Williams has reached the fourth round of the French Open by beating an opponent who is 15 years younger than she is.

Williams, who turns 37 this month, didn’t get much of a test during a 6-3, 6-1 victory over 60th-ranked Elise Mertens of Belgium that lasted just over an hour.

The 21-year-old Mertens was playing in only her second Grand Slam tournament. Williams is a seven-time major champion and was the runner-up at the French Open in 2002.

Two other Americans lost their third-round singles matches. Twenty-fifth seed Steve Johnson, grieving the recent death of his father, lost to sixth-seeded Dominic Thiem (teem) 6-1, 6-7, 6-3. And Shelby Rogers lost to 13th-seeded Kristina Mladenovic (mih-LAD’-ehn-oh-vich) of France, 7-5, 4-6, 8-6.

In other Friday tennis action:

— Defending champion Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) rallied to beat Diego Schwartzman 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.

— Defending champion Garbine Muguruza (GAHR’-been moo-guh-ROO’-zuh) beat Yulia Putintseva 7-5, 6-2.

— Rafael Nadal dropped just one game on his way to a straight-sets victory over Nikoloz Basilashvili.
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