Roland-Garros: Sabalenka through to last eight

Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, the second seed, won against American Emma Navarro, the No 22 seed, 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the last 8 of Roland-Garros in Paris on Monday.

The two had played each other only once before, and Navarro had won it – at Indian Wells in the round of 16 earlier this year.

“I was here ready to fight for every point, I was ready for long rallies,” admitted Sabalenka on court afterwards.

But the world No 2 is undefeated this year on clay by players ranked outside the Top 10, and that fine run continued – and she is also threatening to continue her streak of reaching at least the semi-final of the last six Grand Slams.

Sabalenka, ranked No 2, will face the winner of the match between Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva and Russian Mirra Andreeva next.

The Belarusian defeated Russian Erika Andreeva (6-1, 6-2), Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima (6-2, 6-2) and Spaniard Paula Badosa (7-5, 6-1) in the previous rounds.

Earlier in the tournament, Navarro, ranked No 24, won against qualifier Zeynep Sonmez (6-2, 6-0), Italian qualifier Sara Errani (6-2, 7-5) and No 14 seed Madison Keys (7-6 (5), 7-6 (3)).

You might also like this

Swiatek v Sabalenka: A rivalry that calls for entry into the tennis history books

tennis majors

“Swiatek and Sabalenka inspire me” – Naomi Osaka

tennis majors

Sabalenka: How she learned to stop worrying about rankings and produce her best

tennis majors

Paris (Grand Slam), other last 16 results (Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 53.478.000, most recent results first):

• Varvara Gracheva vs. Mirra Andreeva
• Elena Rybakina (4) beat Elina Svitolina (15): 6-4, 6-3
• Jasmine Paolini (12) beat Elina Avanesyan: 4-6, 6-0, 6-1
• Ons Jabeur (8) beat Clara Tauson: 6-4, 6-4
• Coco Gauff (3) beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto: 6-1, 6-2
• Marketa Vondrousova (5) beat Olga Danilovic (Q): 6-4, 6-2
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Anastasia Potapova: 6-0, 6-0