Sabalenka beats Osaka in historic women’s night session at French Open
8 verified3 unconfirmed1 contested
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the fourth round of the French Open, marking the first women’s night session at Roland Garros since 2023. The match, played on Court Philippe Chatrier under the lights, lasted one hour and 27 minutes. Sabalenka will next face 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals. Both players, each a four-time Grand Slam champion aged 28, expressed hope that the high-profile matchup would encourage tournament organizers to schedule more women’s matches in the prime night slot. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said the decision to put the match in that slot was obvious. The near-capacity crowd of about 15,000 watched a contest that highlighted the depth and star power of the women’s tour.
What’s verified
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open fourth round.
The match was the first women’s night session at Roland Garros since 2023.
The match lasted one hour and 27 minutes.
Sabalenka will face 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals.
Both players are 28 years old and have won four Grand Slam titles each.
Sabalenka has now reached the quarter-finals of her last 14 Grand Slam appearances.
Both Sabalenka and Osaka said they hope this match opens the door for more women’s night sessions.
Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said the length of women’s matches has been a factor in scheduling, but that picking this match was obvious.
Where accounts differ
Sources provided different descriptions of Naomi Osaka’s walk-on outfit. One report described a golden, sequined bomber jacket; another said a sparkly Eiffel Tower-inspired dress; a third mentioned a floor-length translucent skirt under a shimmering gold dress.
Not yet confirmed
One report stated that Sabalenka entered the French Open after poor form on clay this year; this detail was not corroborated by other sources.
One report provided details of other French Open fourth-round results, including men’s matches featuring Flavio Cobolli, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Matteo Berrettini; these were not confirmed by the other sources.
One report noted that men’s world No. 1 Jannik Sinner had been eliminated earlier, which may have influenced the night-session decision; this context appeared in only one source.
Key figures
Aryna Sabalenka (world No. 1, four-time Grand Slam champion)
Naomi Osaka (16th seed, four-time Grand Slam champion)
Diana Shnaider (25th seed, Sabalenka’s next opponent)
Amelie Mauresmo (French Open tournament director)
Sources: Sky Sports, BBC News, The Guardian
