Aryna Sabalenka Dominates to Set Up Thrilling Clash with Naomi Osaka at French Open
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka showcased her dominance by defeating Daria Kasatkina in straight sets, winning 6-0 7-5 at the French Open. This victory sets the stage for an exciting fourth-round matchup against Naomi Osaka. The 28-year-old Belarusian, currently ranked world number one, is on a quest for her first title at Roland Garros, aiming to add to her impressive tally of four Grand Slam titles. In contrast, Naomi Osaka, seeded 16th and also a four-time Grand Slam champion, reached the last 16 after a hard-fought win against Iva Jovic, with a scoreline of 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4. Sabalenka and Osaka have faced each other twice this year, with Sabalenka emerging victorious on both occasions at Indian Wells and the Madrid Open. When discussing her upcoming match, Osaka remained relaxed, stating, "Yolo," and emphasized her goal of maintaining consistency and aggression during the match. Sabalenka expressed her excitement about facing Osaka, acknowledging her return to form after a lengthy break following the birth of her daughter. Sabalenka noted, "It's great to see her back on her level... I really enjoy when somebody pushes me to the limit." In her match, Sabalenka took early control, winning 92% of her first-serve points in the opening set, while Kasatkina struggled to secure any games. Although Kasatkina briefly led in the second set, Sabalenka quickly regained control, sealing her victory with her second match point. With this win, Sabalenka becomes the ninth woman to achieve 100 matches while ranked number one. Joining Sabalenka and Osaka in the last 16 is Diane Parry, who stunned sixth seed Amanda Anisimova with a score of 6-3 4-6 7-6 (10-3), marking her first fourth-round appearance at a Grand Slam. Parry will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who defeated Maria Sakkari 1-6 6-3 6-2.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-05-30