While some of the biggest players on the WTA Tour have already faltered at Roland Garros this year, Aryna Sabalenka has continued her perfect start to the Grand Slam.
Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, and Amanda Anisimova have all departed the Grand Slam in the first week, while Sabalenka has barely had a scare.
The World No. 1 is yet to drop a set at Roland Garros so far this year, having defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Elsa Jacquemot, and Daria Kasatkina in straight sets.
The star will face her biggest challenge yet as she plays Naomi Osaka in the fourth round, in what will be there third meeting of the year already.
It’s a big money match-up, with both women multi-Grand Slam champions, and it has been treated as such by the organisers at Roland Garros.
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Sabalenka vs Osaka has been awarded the night session on Philippe-Chatrier, which will be the first night session women’s match at the fourth round stage of the Grand Slam since 2023.
The early exits of Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, as well as the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz, has certainly played its part in the decision, but it’s also testament to Sabalenka’s star appeal.
The night time match takes place live on Amazon Prime, so they will likely have a say in what the clash is, so it’s further proof that Sabalenka is the biggest star on the WTA Tour right now.
The last match to be given a night session at Roland Garros was also Sabalenka, when she took on Sloane Stephens in the fourth round back in 2023.
The World No. 1 came through that match safely, defeating the American 7-6, 6-4 to confirm her place in the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam.
Sabalenka reached the semi-finals of the competition that year, eventually succumbing to Karolina Muchova in three sets to exit the Grand Slam.
She will be hoping to go two better this year as she looks to win the first Roland Garros title of her career, after reaching the final at last year’s event.
Sabalenka was the overwhelming favourite to lift the title last year against Gauff, but the American produced a spellbinding display to lift the trophy for the first time.
With so many of her fierce rivals already by the wayside, it would not be surprising to see Sabalenka win her first Roland Garros title in 2026.
If she wins Roland Garros, the pressure will build on Sabalenka as she approaches Wimbledon season. That would be the only Grand Slam she hasn’t won in her career, so she has the chance to earn the Career Grand Slam in the next few months.
The post Roland Garros makes rare decision which proves why Aryna Sabalenka is the WTA Tour’s most popular star appeared first on Tennis365.
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