Sabalenka faces resurgent Osaka in race to French Open quarter-finals

May 31 : The race to the French Open quarter-finals continues on Monday, with world number one Aryna Sabalenka facing a resurgent Naomi Osaka in a fourth-round clash.

Men's fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe will also be in action in a chaotic tournament where several top contenders have bowed out already, meaning Roland Garros will crown two new singles champions in the same year for the first time in a decade.

TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: ARYNA SABALENKA V NAOMI OSAKA

After frequent criticism, the French Open organisers have deviated from their norm of reserving the night session for men's matches. Sabalenka and Osaka are the first women to play at Roland Garros at night since 2023.

Osaka and Sabalenka are both appearing in the French Open's main draw for the ninth time. Both of them have won the Australian Open and the U.S. Open twice each, but have not been able to capture the crown in Paris.

With defending champion Coco Gauff and four-time winner Iga Swiatek already knocked out, last year's finalist Sabalenka has a golden opportunity to finish the job this year. However, hardcourt specialist Osaka's rise on clay may derail the Belarusian's plans.

Osaka, who last won a Grand Slam in 2021, has never reached a WTA-level final on clay or grass. However, the 28-year-old has looked better than ever this year on a surface where she has struggled for years, reaching the French Open's fourth round for the first time.

And when Osaka and Sabalenka met on clay for the first time in Madrid last month, Osaka won a set in a tiebreak before Sabalenka fought back and won the match.

"I feel like I played a pretty good match in Madrid ... so hopefully, just keep the consistency and keep trying to be aggressive," said Osaka about