Roland Rematch: Sabalenka Sets Up RG Showdown vs. Osaka

By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 30, 2026
Photo credit: Ian MacNicol/Getty

It was moving day in Paris.

Aryna Sabalenka marched right into a resounding Roland Garros reunion—and centenary celebration.

World No. 1 Sabalenka defeated Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5, cruising into the French Open fourth round for the fourth consecutive season.

The French Open finalist fired 37 winners against 27 unforced errors conquering Kasatkina for the eighth time in 10 meetings.

It is Sabalenka’s 100th win as world No. 1—she’s the ninth woman since the inception of the WTA Rankings to claim 100 or more wins as No. 1—and sets up a blockbuster showdown vs. former No. 1 Naomi Osaka.

Earlier, Osaka fought off American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 6-4 in a titanic two hour, 58-minute clash to battle into her first career French Open fourth round.

“Yeah, honestly, I feel like one of the reasons I was really calm was because I knew she was young,” Osaka said of Jovic. “I think younger players are some of the scariest players to play, because they have no fear, and they’re kind of just going in there.

“I also know going into the match she’s a really great player, so I just hope that my veteran status could, like, shine a little bit in some moments, and I think it did. Yeah, she’s a really great player, and I look forward to seeing her play a lot more matches on the tour.”

The 16th-seeded Osaka rode her damaging serve through a tight test against the Australian Open quarterfinalist. Osaka smacked 12 aces against only two double faults. Overall, Osaka hammered 46 winners—18 more than her talented 18-year-old opponent.

Premier players Osaka and Sabalenka will square off for the third time in the past three months.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka believes she’s making progress closing the gap on four-time major champion Sabalenka.

“I feel like I played her, like I played a pretty good match in Madrid,” Osaka said today. “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.” 

In the aftermath of her 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-2 Mutua Madrid Open loss to Aryna Sabalenka last month, Osaka said she drew positives from the defeat. Six weeks after Sabalenka shredded Osaka 6-2, 6-4 on Indian Wells’ hard court, the Japanese said the physical three-setter showed her she can potentially match the reigning Madrid champion’s power.

“I think just knowing how close it was. I feel like every game was super close,” Osaka told the media in Madrid. “I think I realize, like, I could potentially match her in power.

“I feel like in Indian Wells I was a little overwhelmed. Here I did a little bit better. Obviously she’s the No. 1 player in the world, so it was a really cool match for me to know that I’m like kind of there.”

Sabalenka obliterated Kasatkina in the opening set before the spin wizard responded, attacking the Belarusian’s backhand and drawing some timely errors in a much more competitive second set.

Overwhelming Kasatkina with the pace and depth of her drives, Sabalenka slammed an inside-out forehand winner, breaking against to dish the opening set bagel in 23 minutes.

Credit Kasatkina for mixing her spins, continuing to fight and finally holding to get on board after 32 minutes.

Sabalenka stormed forward and threw down a smash to save it, eventually holding for 4-3.

Sabalenka, who is now 100-20 as World No. 1, was 12 of 13 at net today, a stat which surely made her co-coach and former doubles No. 1 Max Mirnyi smile.

The Kasatkina two-hander is a creative and versatile shot and she showed it busting a backhand winner down the line to hold for 5-all.

Drawing a couple of errors, Kasatkina crept ahead Love-30 in the 11th game.

Rising up to puncture pressure, Sabalenka tore through eight of the last 10 points converting her second match point for a 76-minute victory.

After Sabalenka dismissed Osaka 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Indian Wells quarterfinals in March, Osaka shared the Belarusian effectively used sound as subterfuge with amped up grunts suggesting powerful strikes that didn’t always come.

The Sabalenka sound effects were effective, Osaka conceded.

“I also feel like I was a little, like, flat-footed sometimes, because I expected the ball to be coming harder but then it didn’t. She grunts the same way for every ball,” Osaka said. “I was, like, Oh, my God, she tricked me (smiling).

“No, it was a cool learning experience. I know we haven’t played for a long time, so I hope that we can play again sometime soon.”

Prepare for sound and flurry in Monday’s rematch with a quarterfinal spot on the line.