Busy Nadal facing Nieminen challenge

PARIS (Reuters) - Three-times defending champion Rafael Nadal will be in action for a fourth consecutive day on Friday as the third round gets under way at the French Open.

The Spanish second seed, whose first-round match spanned two days due to rain before he booked his place in round three on Thursday, faces 26th seed and fellow left-hander Jarkko Nieminen of Finland in the second match on Suzanne Lenglen Court.

Serbian second seed Ana Ivanovic, runner-up to Justine Henin last year, opens proceedings on Centre Court against Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki.

Eighth seed Venus Williams continues her bid for a first Roland Garros crown against Italy's 26th seed Flavia Pennetta in the final match scheduled for Centre Court.

Venus's sister Serena, the only former winner in the women's draw, opens the action on Court Suzanne Lenglen against Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik.

Novak Djokovic, the Serbian third seed, will look to reach the fourth round for a third consecutive year against unseeded American Wayne Odesnik.

(Writing by Miles Evans; editing by Pritha Sarkar)