On Court Suzanne-Lenglen, Aryna Sabalenka dismantled Daria Kasatkina so thoroughly in the opening set that the scoreline read 6-0 — a shutout in tennis parlance — before settling into a tighter battle to claim the second, 7-5. The top-seeded Belarusian's commanding performance at the French Open sets up a fourth-round collision with Naomi Osaka, two of the sport's brightest stars both hunting for their first Roland Garros title.
The matchup matters because it reunites two players operating at the game's highest level after Osaka's remarkable return to competition. The 28-year-old sat out for 14 months following the birth of her daughter, Shai, in July 2023, stepping away during a peak career moment. Now the Japanese 16th seed is climbing back to form, her four Grand Slam titles — the US Open and Australian Open twice between 2018 and 2021 — a reminder of the player the tour is watching resurface on its biggest stages.
Sabalenka herself is chasing that elusive first Paris crown to add to her four Grand Slams already won. The world number one brought her full arsenal to the Kasatkina match, winning an extraordinary 92 percent of her first-serve points in the opening set, a display of such precision that Kasatkina failed to claim a single game. The Australian mounted a comeback attempt in the second set, breaking to lead 2-0, but Sabalenka broke back immediately and sealed it on her second match point.
The pair have already met twice in 2024, with Sabalenka winning both encounters — first at Indian Wells in March, then at the Madrid Open last month. Yet Osaka refused to be cowed heading into their fourth-round clash. "I feel like I played a pretty good match against her in Madrid," Osaka reflected after her own straight-sets victory over American 17th seed Iva Jovic, 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4. "I think I just dipped in the second and third set. Hopefully just keep the consistency and keep trying to be aggressive. Whatever happens, happens."
Sabalenka, by contrast, spoke with admiration for what she sees in Osaka's resurgence. "It's great to see her back on her level. Maybe not at her best level, but she's back, she's fighting, she's building her level," the world number one said. "I feel like I really enjoy our battles. It's high-level matches, and I really enjoy when somebody pushes me to the limit." Her victory over Kasatkina marked a milestone moment: Sabalenka became the ninth woman in history to win 100 matches while ranked number one.
The fourth round is also shaping as a showcase for France's homegrown talent. World number 92 Diane Parry, serenaded by a roaring home crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier, pulled off one of the week's biggest upsets by stunning sixth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova 6-3 4-6 7-6 (10-3). The 23-year-old's first Grand Slam fourth-round appearance earned her a spot against Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who advanced by beating Greece's Maria Sakkari 1-6 6-3 6-2. Parry was so overwhelmed by the crowd's singing that she had to wait for them to finish before conducting her post-match interview — a perfectly Parisian moment in a tournament building toward its dramatic climax.