Four-time Grand Slam champions Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka will go head-to-head in the first French Open women’s night match in three years on Monday, as a host of men’s players eye a maiden major quarter-final.
World No 1 Sabalenka will likely face a stern test in her bid to win a maiden Roland Garros crown after suffering an agonising loss to Coco Gauff in last year’s final.
A resurgent Osaka has powered into the French Open last 16 for the first time in her career, looking more at home then ever before on the Parisian clay.
It will be only the fourth meeting, all at the last-16 stage of tournaments, between two of the biggest stars in the sport.
Osaka edged their first encounter en route to the 2018 US Open title and then they never met again until this year.
Sabalenka saw off her Japanese opponent in straight sets in Indian Wells, before fighting back from a set down to win at the Madrid Open.
They renew their rivalry with a quarter-final against either former Australian Open champion Madison Keys or Russia’s Diana Shnaider up for grabs.
“It’s great, 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,” said Sabalenka of Osaka, who took a break from tennis in 2023 to give birth to her daughter.
“It’s nice to see her. She’s a great player, great person. I feel like I really enjoy our battles. It’s high-level matches, and I really enjoy when somebody pushes me to the limit.”