The Japan Times - Sabalenka to face Osaka, Cobolli into French Open quarters

World number one 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 second week 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 nice to see her," said Sabalenka of Osaka, who took a break from tennis in 2023 to give birth to her daughter.

"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."

Osaka struggled initially for form after rejoining the tour, but reached the US Open semi-finals last year, the first time she had made the second week of a Grand Slam event since winning her second Australian Open title in 2021.

"I really wanted to make it a goal to do really well on clay and grass," said Osaka, who has never got past the third round at Wimbledon.

Osaka has been wearing a sequined, gold dress in Paris, which she likened to the Eiffel Tower at night, but has said she may switch things up for the night session.

Tournament organisers have been repeatedly criticised for overlooking women's matches for the night sessions.

This will be the first time that WTA players have featured in the primetime slot since Sabalenka took on Sloane Stephens in the last 16 on June 4, 2023.

"I think it was pretty obvious this should be the night's match," tournament director Amelie Mauresmo told reporters.

Austrian 28th seed Anastasia Potapova could not back up her win over defending champion Gauff, twice failing to serve for the match in a 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10/7) defeat by Kalinskaya.

The Russian will next face either the last remaining French player Diane Parry or Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska.

Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys plays Diana Shnaider for the right to take on either Sabalenka or Osaka.

- Cobolli edges through -

Italian 10th seed Cobolli overcame some late nerves to beat Zachary Svajda 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5) on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Cobolli wobbled badly from 4-0 and 5-1 up in the fourth set, before finally getting over the line in a tie-break to reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final after Wimbledon last year.

"The match is never done and today I almost shit in my pants," said Cobolli. "I'm happy but I'm still nervous."

The 24-year-old will face either fourth-seeded Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime or Chilean Alejandro Tabilo for a semi-final berth.

World number six Auger-Aliassime is the highest-ranked player left in the top half of the men's draw after the shock exit of Jannik Sinner and an early defeat for Ben Shelton.

The Canadian will bid to reach his first French Open quarter-final when he plays Tabilo, in the last 16 of a Slam event for the first time.

Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini targets his first Slam quarter-final since 2022 when he goes up against Sinner's conqueror Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Frances Tiafoe, who lost to Lorenzo Musetti in the last eight 12 months ago, plays another Italian in Matteo Arnaldi.

M.Yamazaki--JT