Sabalenka powers into French Open fourth round
World number one Aryna Sabalenka's French Open quest continued as she powered into the fourth round with a 6-2 6-3 victory against Serbia's Olga Danilovic on Friday.
The Belarusian dominated her opponent from the start and although she faced some brief resistance in the second set, she easily set up a meeting with 16th seed Amanda Anisimova of the United States.
"I am super happy with the win, Olga is a fighter and I knew it would be a fight. She played like a top 10 player; pretty soon she will be in the top 10," said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka started in ruthless fashion, racing to a 5-0 lead but Danilovic avoided the bagel by winning the sixth game on serve, going on to pull a break back.
The resurgence was short-lived, however, as Sabalenka wrapped up the opening set with another break of serve.
Danilovic put up a decent fight in the second set but there was no comeback on the cards as Sabalenka broke for 5-3.
The three-time Grand Slam champion wrapped it up with an unreturnable serve on a half-empty Court Philippe Chatrier - a common occurrence on early matches at the French Open.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
6 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Sinner and Zverev reach French Open last 16, Pegula digs deep to beat Vondrousova
World number one Jannik Sinner powered into the French Open last 16 on Saturday alongside last year's runner-up Alexander Zverev as American Jessica Pegula and Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva ensured their campaigns continue into week two. Italian Sinner eased through 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 against outclassed world number 34 Jiri Lehecka hours before the kick-off between Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain for European club football's biggest prize. 'It was a very great match from my side,' said the top-seeded Italian. 'I think the start of each set, with early break he gave me, then the confidence to keep going, and I'm very happy about today's match. 'I don't think there's much I could improve.' Three-time Grand Slam winner Sinner next meets Russia's Andrey Rublev, the beneficiary of a walkover to the fourth round after France's Arthur Fils withdrew injured on Friday. 'Andrey is an incredible player,' said Sinner. 'I have to be focused. He's rested. So let's see what's coming.' Sinner has been finding his feet since his comeback from a three-month doping ban, reaching the Italian Open final where he lost to reigning Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz. And the 23-year-old has continued his fine form on the clay of Roland Garros where he has not dropped a set, extending his winning streak at Grand Slam events to 17 matches after titles at the 2024 US Open and Australian Open this January. British fifth Jack Draper proved too strong for Brazilian teenage sensation Joao Fonseca, winning 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to progress through to the fourth round, where he will meet Alexander Bublik. German third seed Zverev, who lost last year's final to Alcaraz, won 6-2, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier against Hamburg champion Flavio Cobolli. 'This court is very special to me. I had some of the best memories of my life on this court, but I also had some of the worst memories on this court,' said Zverev, who picked up a bad ankle injury in the 2022 semi-finals against Rafael Nadal. 'It's a love story that hasn't got to the happy end yet, but I hope someday it will.' In the women's tournament, American third seed Jessica Pegula battled into the last 16 with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech Marketa Vondrousova. Pegula, last year's US Open runner-up, next meets unheralded Lois Boisson, ranked 361, the last French player competing in Roland Garros. Boisson fought through the pain to see off 138th-ranked countrywoman Elsa Jacquemot 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. US Jessica Pegula plays a forehand return to Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova during their women's singles match on day 7 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on Saturday. AFP 'Obviously.. going to have some crazy support,' said Pegula. 'I think it will be fun. It will be cool to be a part of that.' The 31-year-old, who missed the 2024 tournament due to injury, is hoping to better her previous best run in Paris which was a quarter-final appearance three years ago. Earlier, 18-year-old Andreeva eased into the last 16 with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Kazakh Yulia Putintseva. Sixth seed Andreeva took 78 minutes to dispatch Putinstseva to set up a showdown with Daria Kasatkina, ranked 17. Kasatkina, now playing for Australia after switching allegiance from her native Russia, got past Spanish 10th seed Paula Badosa 6-1, 7-5 in their third round match. Andreeva is competing in just her ninth Grand Slam event, but the teenager has now reached the second week in five of them. After a closely-contested first set, Andreeva took control winning nine of the last 10 games of the match. 'I felt a little nervous before the match, but overall, throughout I felt like I could do whatever I want on the court,' said Andreeva. 'Like, you know, I felt free. 'I'm happy that with every match I play, I feel better and better. I think that this is a good thing. Agence France-Presse
Dubai Eye
6 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Djokovic eases into last 16 with 99th French Open win
Novak Djokovic notched his 99th career French Open win with a clinical 6-3 6-4 6-2 defeat of Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic to reach the fourth round on a memorable Saturday night in Paris. As 40,000 fans watched Paris St Germain's Champions League final on video screens across the road at the Parc des Princes, the 38-year-old Serbian turned on the style on Court Philippe Chatrier. Three-times champion Djokovic, bidding for an historic 25th Grand Slam title, was given a thorough workout at times by his 23-year-old opponent but more than matched Misolic's power and always looked in complete control. Djokovic failed to convert nine break points early on but made the breakthrough for a 4-2 lead after showing incredible defensive skills to retrieve a barrage of smashes. The Serb saved a break point at 1-2 in the second set and earned applause from the fans as he sportingly dusted his opponent down after Misolic tumbled over and got his sweat-soaked shirt coated in clay. He soon showed his ruthless side, however, to break serve with a backhand winner as he raced into a two-set lead. The sixth seed was in no mood for a late night as exploding fireworks and roars rang out from across the road and the third set followed the same pattern as he cruised through to a last-16 clash against Britain's Cameron Norrie. Having won his 100th title in Geneva in the build-up to Roland Garros, Djokovic is yet to drop a set in three rounds and is looking in the mood for a deep run. "I'm just hoping to carry on. Every time I step onto this court I'm playing for history," Djokovic, who showed no sign of the blisters that troubled him in the previous round, said. Should Djokovic beat Norrie he will surpass his number of career wins at the Australian Open which he has won 10 times and will also maintain his record of reaching the quarter-finals or better at the French Open every year since 2010.
ARN News Center
7 hours ago
- ARN News Center
Djokovic eases into last 16 with 99th French Open win
Novak Djokovic notched his 99th career French Open win with a clinical 6-3 6-4 6-2 defeat of Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic to reach the fourth round on a memorable Saturday night in Paris. As 40,000 fans watched Paris St Germain's Champions League final on video screens across the road at the Parc des Princes, the 38-year-old Serbian turned on the style on Court Philippe Chatrier. Three-times champion Djokovic, bidding for an historic 25th Grand Slam title, was given a thorough workout at times by his 23-year-old opponent but more than matched Misolic's power and always looked in complete control. Djokovic failed to convert nine break points early on but made the breakthrough for a 4-2 lead after showing incredible defensive skills to retrieve a barrage of smashes. The Serb saved a break point at 1-2 in the second set and earned applause from the fans as he sportingly dusted his opponent down after Misolic tumbled over and got his sweat-soaked shirt coated in clay. He soon showed his ruthless side, however, to break serve with a backhand winner as he raced into a two-set lead. The sixth seed was in no mood for a late night as exploding fireworks and roars rang out from across the road and the third set followed the same pattern as he cruised through to a last-16 clash against Britain's Cameron Norrie. Having won his 100th title in Geneva in the build-up to Roland Garros, Djokovic is yet to drop a set in three rounds and is looking in the mood for a deep run. "I'm just hoping to carry on. Every time I step onto this court I'm playing for history," Djokovic, who showed no sign of the blisters that troubled him in the previous round, said. Should Djokovic beat Norrie he will surpass his number of career wins at the Australian Open which he has won 10 times and will also maintain his record of reaching the quarter-finals or better at the French Open every year since 2010.
