With the 14-time champion Nadal absent at Roland Garros this year due to injury, Ruud continued his bid to claim a first Grand Slam title as he shook off an early scare to beat China's Zhang Zhizhen (27) 4-6 6-4 6-1 6-4 and reach the fourth round.

"I'm not the first victim to lose to Rafa in the final. I wish I could have done a little better and so on, but it was my first one," Ruud told reporters, reflecting on his defeat in Paris last year.

"It was tough to play the toughest player you can play on clay in the first final. Not really haunted by it, but yeah, I think there are more eyes on me this year than last year.

"It's been sort of quiet so far. I've been able to do my job and play my matches and get on in the tournament. So I'm happy and moving closer to second week.

"That's where you really need to step up your game and play your 'A' game if you want to do well and continue winning.

"There are a lot of great players left and that's what I learned from last year that, the real challenge, the real fun starts now."

Ruud, who has been dragged to four sets in his last two matches by Giulio Zeppieri (21) and Zhang, said he was still not playing flawless tennis.

"I still feel like there is a level that I haven't played yet that I can bring out and I will need to bring out now going into the second week, for sure," Ruud said.

"I'm happy with being through the first three matches. It's tough. For me this year, it's been much more pressure compared to last year. I could do my work in the shadow.

"I'm having to defend final so I felt the pressure a bit different this year. But I'm through to the second week... I'm going to try to get a bit more loose."

Follow Ruud's next match against Nicolas Jarry with Flashscore.