French Open Sabalenka's for the taking as draw opens up for number one

Aryna Sabalenka is one of the only players left in the draw with second-week slam experience. (Getty Images: Ian MacNicol)

World number one Aryna Sabalenka is a heavy favourite to win her first French Open after beating Naomi Osaka to reach the quarterfinals.

Five of the women's quarterfinalists are enjoying career-best runs at Roland Garros.

On the men's side, unseeded Italian Matteo Berrettini progressed, as did countryman Flavio Cobolli, who next plays fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Aryna Sabalenka has continued her relentless charge towards a maiden French Open crown, overcoming the resistance of Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals.

In the first women's night-session match at Roland Garros in three years, the ​Belarusian world number ‌one recovered from a shaky start to reach the last eight.

Sabalenka, who has now reached at least the quarterfinals in her last 14 ‌grand slam appearances, set up a last-eight meeting ⁠with Russian Diana Shnaider.

"She is such a great ‌player, she plays a super ​aggressive tennis," Sabalenka said of Osaka.

Naomi Osaka's run was ended by the world number one. (Getty Images: Ian MacNicol)

"I'm ‌happy with how I was able to put back the pressure on her. It's amazing to play the night session in front of all of you guys.

"I'm super happy with my serve. I'm super ⁠pleased overall with the performance ‌today."

Osaka opened a 2-0 ‌lead courtesy of a Sabalenka double fault, but the Belarusian immediately ‌broke back and stole her opponent's serve decisively for a 6-5 lead, whipping a powerful service return ‌that the ​16th seed could ⁠not control, her backhand failing to clear the net.

Following a tough hold for 3-3, Sabalenka broke for 4-3, ending a long rally with a subtle half volley.

Osaka, who was playing in the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time, did not have more in the tank and ​lost the remaining games, bowing out on Sabalenka's first match point.

Shnaider, meanwhile, took down American 19th seed Madison Keys, who beat Sabalenka in the 2025 Australian Open final.

The Russian won 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 in an upset that leaves Sabalenka as one of three players in the women's draw who have progressed past the quarterfinals of a slam.

The most surprising inclusion in the last eight is Poland's Maja Chwalińska, making her main-draw debut in Paris, with her previous best at a major a Wimbledon second-round appearance in 2022.

The world number 114 knocked out the last French player in either singles draw, beating Diane Parry 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Chwalińska will take on Ru