In total control: Sabalenka dismisses Osaka to reach fourth consecutive Roland-Garros quarterfinal
The Belarusian dispatched the Japanese star in straight sets (7-5, 6-3) and will now face Diana Shnaider for a spot in the final four.
Aryna Sabalenka – Roland-Garros 2026 © Laptiste / Psnewz
She is getting stronger and stronger. In the first women’s night session at Roland-Garros since 2023, Aryna Sabalenka beat Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals — her fourth in a row at Roland-Garros. Sabalenka still has not dropped a set at the tournament. Her next opponent, Diana Shnaider, will try to change that, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
With Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina out, Sabalenka is the heavy favourite to win the title. Her consistency in Grand Slams is striking: she has reached the quarter-finals for the 14th time in a row, becoming the first player to do so since Serena Williams, who reached the quarter-finals 16 times in a row between Wimbledon 2000 and the 2005 Australian Open.
A few weeks ago in Madrid, Osaka had given Sabalenka a tough time, taking the first set before losing in three. The Japanese could not repeat the trick on Monday. The former Australian Open and US Open champion broke the world No. 1 right at the start of the match, then lost the advantage immediately afterwards.
A first match against Shnaider
Sabalenka made a few unusual mistakes before finding her rhythm on her return games. Trailing 5-4, she suddenly raised her level to win the last three games and take the first set. The same pattern repeated in the second set: she won three games in a row from 3-3 to 6-3, including two breaks.
Osaka was overwhelmed by Sabalenka’s power, and by the new drop shots she has added to her game. It is Osaka’s third loss to the Belarusian in 2026, after Indian Wells and Madrid. Speaking to Fabrice Santoro after the match, the world No. 1 said she was delighted to play in the night session, before doing a brief moonwalk for the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Next up for Sabalenka: Diana Shnaider, who beat Madison Keys earlier in the day to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final. It will be the first time the two players have met on the tour.
Roland-Garros Women’s Singles – 4th Round
A.Sabalenka (1) – N.Osaka (16): 7-5, 6-3
D.Shnaider (25) – M.Keys (19): 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
A.Kalinskaya (22) – A.Potapova (28): 6-4, 2-6, 7¹⁰-6⁷
M.Chwalinska – D.Parry: 6-3, 6-2
E.Svitolina (7) – B.Bencic (11): 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
M.Kostyuk (15) – I.Swiatek (3): 7-5, 6-1
M.Andreeva (8) – J.Teichmann: 6-3, 6-2
S.Cirstea (18) – X.Wang: 6-3, 7⁷-6⁴
Roland-GARROS Women’s Singles – Quarterfinals
A.Sabalenka (1) vs D.Shnaider (25)
A.Kalinskaya (22) vs M.Chwalinska
E.Svitolina (7) vs M.Kostyuk (15)
M.Andreeva (8) vs S.Cirstea (18)
