World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka reaches the quarterfinals of Roland-Garros after her victory against Naomi Osaka in the first women’s night session since 2023

The world number 1 at the rendezvous of a big evening. Aryna Sabalenka won her shock in the round of 16 at Roland-Garros against Naomi Osaka (7-5, 6-3) in just 1h30, on the Philippe-Chatrier court, Monday June 1st. For this first match in the women’s draw held in the evening session for three years and the 2023 edition, in front of full stands, the Belarusian enforced her rank and continued her journey for the perfect moment, still without the slightest set dropped.

She did not let herself be impressed by the scene, and undoubtedly even found habits there. Three years after having played the last women’s “night session” to date on the ocher of the Porte d’Auteuil (even if she seemed to forget it in her post-match interview), Aryna Sabalenka once again lit up the Parisian night.

The Belarusian relied in particular on a solid play, past the small scare of the break conceded at the start. In a tight first set, it was she who managed to take her opponent’s serve at the best possible moment before serving to take the lead. The second set seemed to start on similar bases, like the battle fought in the fifth game where she threatened the Japanese’s serve for a long time.

Logically, the world No. 1 ended up gaining the upper hand, stringing together two breaks and pocketing four consecutive games to validate her victory. “She’s a great player, it’s always big battles against her. I’m happy with my serve, to have managed to use it to put pressure”reacted the winner of the evening to Fabrice Santoro’s microphone. Before slipping a word about the occasion “incredible to play in a ‘night session’, in front of all this audience”, then to treat himself to a few dance steps and a Moonwalk, in reference to his distance dance competition with Novak Djokovic, to applause.

Opposite, the Japanese sometimes showed the extent of the talent and play which made her a world number 1, quadruple Grand Slam winner, like the entry break which electrified the public. But despite the support of the stands, who undoubtedly wanted to prolong the pleasure as much as possible, she was not able to shake the Belarusian in the long term, against whom she had already fallen twice in the WTA 1000 this season, in Indian Wells then in Madrid.

Aryna Sabalenka, one of the last three members of the world top 10 still competing in the women’s draw with Elina Svitolina (n°7) and Mirra Andreeva (n°8), will meet in the quarter-finals the Russian Diana Shneider, who fell earlier in the day to the American Madison Keys in three sets. Finalist last year against Coco Gauff, the Belarusian is still in search of a first coronation at Porte d’Auteuil.