With a roaring win over Naomi Osaka in Paris on Monday night, Aryna Sabalenka again showed why she’s the most consistent force in women’s tennis right now.
The world No.1 secured a 7-5 6-3 victory over her Japanese opponent in one hour and 27 minutes to march on to the final eight, continuing her quest for a maiden Roland Garros crown.
Sabalenka has now reached the quarterfinals in 14 consecutive Grand Slam appearances – becoming the first woman to do so since Serena Williams more than two decades ago.
She achieved the feat on the same day the American superstar officially announced her tennis comeback.
READ MORE: Serena Williams confirms comeback to tennis
Sabalenka’s streak stretches back to 2022 where she reached the US Open semifinal, and she has since collected four Slam titles.
She now sits ninth in the list of longest consecutive major quarterfinal appearances in the Open era, just behind Billie Jean King and Gabriela Sabatini, each with 15.
Williams made at least the quarterfinals in 16 consecutive major appearances between 2000 and 2005 – the 16th of those coming at the Australian Open, which she went on to win.
While there was much attention on another dazzling Osaka outfit and the timing of the clash – the first women’s night match at Roland Garros in three years – Sabalenka was all business in the pair’s first meeting on clay.
Despite being broken in her first service game, the 28-year-old quickly broke back and began to turn the screw on her opponent.
The pair traded a slew of forceful groundstrokes but it was Sabalenka’s improved variety that gave her an edge, as she eventually found another break and secured the first set with an ace.
An audacious backhand dropshot winner for an important hold to go 3-3 in the second set suggested the momentum lay with Sabalenka, which was solidified after she broke Osaka in the next game with a careful volley.
The world No.1 then held firm on serve to close out the set and the match.
“Super happy with my performance,” she told reporters in Paris. “I think the key was that I really stayed aggressive no matter what, and I was serving pretty well.”
She won 83 per cent of first serve points compared to Osaka’s 65 per cent and unleashed 12 aces.
After knocking out a fellow four-time major champion, Sabalenka is now the only remaining Slam winner across the men’s and women’s draws in Paris.
She faces a stern test against world No.25 Diana Shnaider on Wednesday, who came through a three-set battle with Madison Keys in the fourth round.
“Yeah, she's a great player,” she said of Shnaider. “I'd say tricky game, changing the rhythm a lot, and moving well, great serving. So I'm super excited to face her for the first time and super excited for the fight.”
But Sabalenka wouldn’t be drawn on the upsets that have engulfed the claycourt major, which has seen a host of favourites exit including Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff on the women’s side and Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic on the men’s.
“I think because I'm not really focusing on that and I'm not really overthinking, I was able to kind of, like, separate myself from what's going on this year at the Roland Garros,” she said.
“I'm just trying… to be focused on myself and make sure that when I'm there competing, I'm bringing my best level that I have.
“I'm doing everything I can to get this trophy.”
A victory over Shnaider would set up a semifinal clash between either No.22 seed Anna Kalinskaya or Polish surprise packet Maja Chwalinska.
The world No.1 will no doubt see this as a serious opportunity to make a second Roland Garros final and avenge last year’s painful three-set loss to Gauff.