As surprises continued to reshape the French Open draw, Aryna Sabalenka ensured that one of the tournament’s biggest favourites remained firmly on course for the title. The World No. 1 produced another commanding display at Roland Garros on Saturday, defeating Australia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 to advance to the fourth round and strengthen her bid for a first French Open crown.
The victory was significant not only because it secured her place in the second week of the tournament but also because it marked a major career milestone. Sabalenka registered her 100th match victory as World No. 1, becoming only the ninth player in WTA history to achieve the feat since the rankings system was introduced.
The Belarusian joins an elite group of legends that includes Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek, underlining the remarkable consistency she has displayed since reaching the summit of women’s tennis.
With several high-profile exits shaking the tournament in recent days, Sabalenka entered the match determined to avoid becoming another casualty. The women’s draw has already witnessed multiple surprises, while the men’s competition saw major title contenders eliminated earlier than expected. Against that backdrop, the top seed delivered a performance that combined power, control and composure.
Playing on Court Suzanne Lenglen under sunny Parisian skies, Sabalenka immediately established her authority. Her aggressive baseline game overwhelmed Kasatkina from the opening exchanges, and she raced through the first set without dropping a game.
The Belarusian struck the ball with tremendous depth and pace, repeatedly forcing errors from her opponent while also displaying improved variety around the net. Even when Kasatkina attempted to extend rallies, Sabalenka remained patient and disciplined.
A brief challenge emerged in the second set when Kasatkina broke serve and momentarily shifted the momentum. The Australian, who officially switched representation from Russia in recent years, found greater rhythm and began engaging the crowd.
However, Sabalenka quickly regained control. She levelled the set at 2-2 before steadily increasing the pressure during the closing stages. Her superior firepower eventually proved decisive as she sealed victory in straight sets and improved her head-to-head record against Kasatkina to eight wins from ten meetings.
Following the match, attention quickly turned to Sabalenka’s latest career milestone. Winning 100 matches while holding the World No. 1 ranking is a feat achieved by only a select group of players. For Sabalenka, it represents the culmination of years of perseverance and development.
Her rise to the top of women’s tennis has not always been straightforward. Earlier in her career, the Belarusian battled significant serving issues that often disrupted her progress at major tournaments. At times, her struggles with double faults became one of the most discussed aspects of her game.
The transformation since then has been remarkable. Through technical adjustments and mental resilience, she has evolved into one of the most complete players on tour, collecting Grand Slam titles and establishing herself as a dominant force across all surfaces.
Reflecting on her progression, Sabalenka said: “I’ve got goosebumps.” “It means the world to me and I’m just happy that in the tough moments I stayed tough. I was fighting and never gave up and that is what it has brought me. I’m super proud of myself and my team. We’ve reached an amazing level that felt impossible.”
Sabalenka also expressed satisfaction with her overall level during the opening week of the tournament. “It has definitely been a great week,” Sabalenka said during her on-court interview. “I’m happy to be through to the second week, happy with my level, and to be able to handle the fight that she brought and get a straight-sets win. Thank you (to the crowd). Honestly, that’s just a dream to play in front of you all and feel the support.”
Her comments reflected the confidence she has built throughout the tournament. The Belarusian has yet to drop a set and appears increasingly comfortable on the clay courts of Paris.
The reward for Sabalenka’s victory is one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament. The World No. 1 will next face Naomi Osaka in a blockbuster fourth-round encounter between two of the most recognizable figures in women’s tennis. Both players own four Grand Slam singles titles and have spent time at the top of the rankings.
Although Osaka’s greatest successes have traditionally come on hard courts, the Japanese star has shown significant improvement on clay in recent seasons. Her powerful serve and aggressive baseline style make her a dangerous opponent regardless of surface.
Sabalenka currently holds a slight 2-1 advantage in their head-to-head record, adding another layer of intrigue to what promises to be one of the standout matches of the second week. Despite winning multiple major titles, the French Open remains the missing piece in Sabalenka’s Grand Slam collection.
The Belarusian came agonisingly close to capturing the title last year before finishing runner-up to Coco Gauff in the final. That defeat remains one of the biggest motivations behind her 2026 campaign. Now firmly established as the tournament favourite following several notable upsets, Sabalenka appears determined to seize the opportunity.
Her combination of raw power, improved movement and growing tactical maturity has made her one of the most complete players in the women’s game. If she can maintain her current form, the World No. 1 will remain a leading contender to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen and finally secure the French Open title that has so far eluded her.
For now, however, her focus turns to the challenge posed by Osaka as she seeks to continue an impressive run through the Paris draw and move one step closer to tennis history.
