What has Naomi Osaka said ahead of playing Aryna Sabalenka?
On her form: “I really wanted to make it a goal to do really well on clay and grass. I don’t want this to be my last round. I want to keep going. I just want to keep focusing on like every match.”
On playing Sabalenka twice already this season: “I feel like I played a pretty good match in Madrid. I think I just dipped in the second and third set. So hopefully just keep the consistency and keep trying to be aggressive and whatever happens, happens.”
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 18:40
Naomi Osaka v Aryna Sabalenka head-to-head
This will be Osaka and Sabalenka’s fourth career meeting, but their third this season. Sabalenka has won both so far this year, winning 6-2 6-4 in the last-16 of Indian Wells, before winning 6-7 6-3 6-2, on clay, in the last-16 of the Madrid Open. Osaka’s only win against Sabalenka was almost eight years ago at the 2018 US Open.

Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 18:25
GAME, SET AND MATCH! Felix Auger-Aliassime cruises through
That’s a nice straight-sets win for Felix Auger-Aliassime to reach the quarter-finals. The men’s fourth seed defeats Alejandro Tabilo 6-3 7-5 6-1 in just over two hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open for the first time. He is the highest seed left in the top half of the draw and will face Italy’s 10th seed Flavio Cobolli on Wednesday in the last-eight. Cobolli defeated Zachary Svajda in four sets earlier.
A quick win for Auger-Aliassime means Naomi Osaka v Aryna Sabalenka will start as scheduled, with walk-ons from 7:15pm BST.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 18:23
Winner to play No 25 seed Diana Shnaider in quarter-finals
This year’s French Open is guaranteed to crown a new women’s champion. Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka are also the only former grand slam winners still in the draw.
The winner of their fourth-round match will play the No 25 seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals. She knocked out former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3 3-6 6-0 earlier today. And, in the same half of the draw, Poland’s Maja Chwalinska beat France’s Diane Parry to set up a clash with 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya. The odds are looking good for Sabalenka to get through this section, although she will need to get through Osaka first.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 18:10
Women’s match to headline night session at French Open for first time in three years
The French Open will stage a women’s match in its night session on Monday for the first time in three years.
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has been heavily criticised for reserving the prime-time one-match slot almost exclusively for men’s singles contests.
Since the session was introduced in 2021, only four of the first 60 matches have been women’s singles and none since 2023.
But, with the top half of the men’s draw featuring few household names, the blockbuster women’s fourth-round encounter between world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka has made the cut on Monday, ending a run of 33 straight men’s matches.
Eleanor Crooks1 June 2026 17:55
Today’s big news: Serena Williams confirms stunning return to tennis
Serena Williams has confirmed that she will make a stunning return to tennis at the age of 44, almost four years after her last competitive appearance.
The 23-time grand slam champion has received a doubles wildcard to play at the HSBC Championships at the Queen’s Club in west London, which starts on Monday 8 June, ahead of a likely return at Wimbledon later in the month. She is set to play doubles at Queen’s with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko, who idolised Williams growing up, and may play singles at Wimbledon.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 17:40
Aryna Sabalenka bidding to match Serena Williams record
Aryna Sabalenka lost in last year’s French Open final to Coco Gauff and is also looking to win her first grand slam tournament on a natural surface after titles at the Australian Open and US Open. The world No 1’s consistency at the majors has been very impressive in recent years, and she is bidding for her 14th consecutive grand slam quarter-final, which would be the longest streak since Serena Williams from 2000 to 2005.
Her only loss this season against top-20 players came in the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 17:25
Naomi Osaka enjoyed career-best run at Roland Garros
Naomi Osaka is through to the fourth round of a grand slam tournament for the eighth time in her career. However, this is the first time she has reached the last-16 of a tournament that’s not on a hard-court, having previously won two Australian Opens and two US Opens.
Osaka, the 16th seed, has beaten Laura Siegemund, Donna Vekic and 17th seed Iva Jovic so far in Paris. Her victory over Jovic came in just under three hours and was a proper battle. She has hit the most aces out of any player in the women’s draw so far this tournament.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 17:10
French Open LIVE: When is Naomi Osaka v Aryna Sabalenka?
The match will not start before 7:15pm BST (UK time) this evening. It will follow the men’s singles match between Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alejandro Tabilo. Auger-Aliassime, the fourth seed, is a set up.
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 17:02
French Open LIVE: Naomi Osaka v Aryna Sabalenka blockbuster headlines night session
Good evening and welcome. There’s only one place to look tonight as the fourth-round action at the French Open concludes and that is the blockbuster meeting of world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka and former No 1 Naomi Osaka in the night session on Court Philippe-Chatrier. It’s the first night session match to feature a women’s singles match in three years, more on that later, and will see two of the biggest names in the sport look to put on a show under the lights in Paris. Both have may special outfits planned, too…
Jamie Braidwood1 June 2026 17:00