Aryna Sabalenka’s win proves women belong in primetime French Open slot

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This peculiar 2026 French Open, where Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic sank early while Carlos Alcaraz stayed away, has been struck by a wave of three fresh faces.

Now, after years marked by mental health struggles, long breaks from tennis and motherhood, the Japanese ​former world number one walked away from Roland Garros with a positive perspective instead of pain.

Aryna Sabalenka strengthened her French Open title bid on Monday by defeating Naomi Osaka to reach the quarter-finals, while Matteo Berrettini continued his comeback from injury with a place in his first Grand Slam quarter-final since 2022.