World number one Aryna Sabalenka continued her strong run at the French Open on Saturday by overcoming Australia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5 to secure a spot in the fourth round at Roland Garros.
The top seed showcased a dominant display on Court Suzanne Lenglen, bringing stability to the women’s draw following several significant upsets in the previous two days in Paris.
Notably, with top seed Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic having been eliminated within the last 48 hours, Sabalenka ensured there would be no surprise exit in her third-round match.
She quickly asserted her superiority, sweeping through the first set without conceding a game. Combining powerful baseline strokes with precise net approaches, Sabalenka claimed the first five games and overcame a 15-40 deficit in the sixth game to complete a flawless 6-0 set.
Kasatkina, who was born in Russia and switched to represent Australia last year, showed more resilience in the second set. She managed to break serve and consolidate the lead, energizing the crowd who responded with loud chants of “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.” However, Sabalenka swiftly regained control after Kasatkina committed an unforced error, leveling the set at 2-2.
The four-time Grand Slam winner maintained her intensity throughout the remainder of the match, elevating her performance in the closing stages to secure a straight-sets victory.
This win marked Sabalenka’s eighth triumph in ten career meetings against Kasatkina and set up a highly anticipated fourth-round encounter with Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Sabalenka now advances to the last 16 of the clay-court Grand Slam, aiming to continue her quest for a first French Open title.
