The Williams sisters lead the top half of the draw into the third round on Saturday in Paris. We preview all the action here at WTATennis.com.

Saturday, Third Round

[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [26] Kristina Mladenovic (FRA #30)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Williams has played the most matches (67), and has the highest match winning percentage (56-11, .836) at Roland Garros among active players with at least 20 matches.

Serena Williams has dropped just five games in her first two matches in Paris, but the 21-time major champion should face more resistance from France’s No.1, Kristina Mladenovic, in the third round. Many players are defeated in their minds before stepping on the court with Williams, but Mladenovic is determined not to let that happen as she faces the game’s greatest for the first time on Saturday. “Why should I be frightened?” Mladenovic said on Thursday. “No, I want this challenge.” Mladenovic is no stranger to big wins at Roland Garros, having knocked out No.2 seed Li Na in 2014 and No.6 seed Eugenie Bouchard last season. “I grew up watching Serena play,” Mladenovic said. “Then I’m going to play against her. I will try and get ready as best I can for this match, and then I’ll have to make no mistakes if I want to do something against her.”

Pick: Williams in three

[9] Venus Williams (USA #11) vs. Alizé Cornet (FRA #50)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 5-0
Key Stat: Williams is the oldest woman remaining in the draw.

In the true Parisian spirit, Venus Williams is living fully in the present at Roland Garros. When asked on Thursday if there was a moment in her career that gave her particular satisfaction, the seven-time major champion did not hesitate. “This one right now,” she said. “I definitely stay in the moment. I’m just grateful I think with every year that passes and every moment that I play, I’m grateful for this experience and blessed. What else could I ask for, really?” Williams will face France’s Alizé Cornet on Court Suzanne Lenglen on Saturday, hoping to stretch her winning streak to six matches against the Nice native. Cornet has lost all ten sets she’s played against the 35-year-old, but the Frenchwoman has the heart of a lion when she plays on her home soil. Factor in the support of the French crowd and Cornet might have a chance to threaten Williams for the first time. Could this be the day Cornet finally solves the mystery of the American legend, or will Venus push forward in Paris?

Pick: Williams in three

[14] Ana Ivanovic (SRB #16) vs. [18] Elina Svitolina (UKR #20)
Head-to-head: Ivanovic leads, 7-0
Key Stat: Svitolina became the first Ukrainian woman to reach the quarterfinals of Roland Garros last year.

Ana Ivanovic has held sway over Elina Svitolina ever since the first time they met at the 2012 US Open. Even here in Paris where Svitolina has played her best tennis, Ivanovic has dealt the rising Ukrainian losses in back-to-back years. But that doesn’t mean the 2008 champion doesn’t have a healthy amount of respect for Svitolina. “I played Svitolina last year here in the quarterfinal,” she said “We always have tough matches. She’s a good player, young player. I think in the future we’re going to see a lot of her.” Svitolina hasn’t yet solved the Ivanovic puzzle, but the 21-year-old has clearly come into her own as a player over the last year. A tireless worker, Svitolina is hoping that adding seven-time Roland Garros champion Justine Henin to her coaching team will help her in exactly these kinds of matches. She’ll have to come out of her defense-first shell and play aggressively against Ivanovic in order to have a chance.

Pick: Ivanovic in three

[12] Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP #14) vs. [22] Dominika Cibulkova (SVK #25)
Head-to-head: Cibulkova leads, 3-1
Key Stat: Suárez Navarro has lost her last three encounters against Top 25 opposition on clay.

A pair of Roland Garros stalwarts are set to do battle in what promises to be an intriguing contest between polar opposite personalities and tacticians on Saturday. Cibulkova, boisterous and dynamic, likes to roll the dice and shoot to kill. Suárez Navarro, pragmatic and poised, prefers a patient game based on movement, margin and angles. Cibulkova owns the 3-1 edge in the pair’s head-to-head but Suárez Navarro took their last meeting at Moscow last autumn. “Cibulkova is a tough opponent,” the Spaniard said after defeating China’s Qiang Wang on Thursday. “It will be a tough match. Physically I’m okay. Tomorrow I will be able to rest, so I will be in form on Saturday.”

Pick: Cibulkova in three

Around the Grounds: Daria Kasatkina has played three Grand Slams and reached the round of 32 each time. Can the Russian take it one step further on Saturday? She’ll meet Kiki Bertens, who is currently on a nine-match winning streak, on Court 1. Madison Keys and Monica Puig are also looking to reach the second week here in Paris for the first time. They’ll battle on Court Suzanne Lenglen for a coveted Round of 16 slot.

By The Numbers

3 – Number of former Grand Slam champions in action on Day 5 (Serena and Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic).

133 – Combined number of Grand Slam appearances by the Williams sisters. Serena (70) and Venus (63) are No.1 and No.2 on the active list.

4 – Number of former Roland Garros Girls’ Singles champions in action today (Mladenovic, Cornet, Svitolina and Kasatkina).

-Chris Oddo, wtatennis.com contributor