French Open Sabalenka downs Osaka

World number one Aryna Sabalenka overcame fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets here at Court Philippe-Chatrier on Monday to book her place in the French Open quarter-finals.

Sabalenka delivered a commanding performance, striking 39 winners and firing 12 aces to secure a 7-5, 6-3 victory over the resilient Japanese star.

The win sees the Belarusian reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the 14th consecutive tournament.

With several leading contenders already eliminated, Sabalenka is now the only Grand Slam singles champion remaining in either the men’s or women’s draw at Roland Garros.

The victory was her third over Osaka this season, having now won all three of their meetings in 2026.

Osaka’s sole triumph over Sabalenka remains their encounter at the 2018 US Open.

Sabalenka will next face Russia’s Diana Shnaider as she continues her pursuit of a first French Open title and looks to put behind her painful defeat to Coco Gauff in last year’s final.

The contest was also significant as it became the first women’s match to be scheduled in the French Open night session since 2023, ending a run of 32 consecutive men’s matches under the lights, a decision that had drawn criticism from players and fans alike.

Sabalenka had previously voiced her frustration over the lack of women’s night-session matches, stating last year that female players ‘deserve equal treatment’ to their male counterparts.

“I hope that this is the beginning, today’s match. It’s like we open up that door for woman night sessions,” she said Monday.