Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the first women’s night match at Roland Garros since 2023, advancing to the quarter-finals. The Belarusian world No 1 showcased her all-court game, mixing powerful groundstrokes with deft drop shots and net play to overcome the four-time grand slam champion.
Sabalenka, who has now reached the quarter-finals of her last 14 grand slams, will face 25th seed Diana Shnaider next. The winner will meet either Anna Kalinskaya or Maja Chwalinksa in the semi-finals. Despite recent poor form on clay, Sabalenka has rediscovered her best level at the French Open.
Osaka, playing in her first Roland Garros second week, showed improvement but struggled with Sabalenka's variety. The Japanese player, who last won a major in 2021, said: 'I don’t really look at the result too much any more. Getting the furthest I’ve got so far in Roland Garros should hopefully be a positive result for me.'
The match marked a significant moment for women’s tennis at the tournament, which had faced criticism for rarely scheduling women as the featured night match. Sabalenka commented: 'I think it’s really important that they put our match today as a night session. I hope this is the beginning, that we open up that door for women night sessions.'
