Xplorich
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka combined power, precision and personality as she defeated former champion Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to book her place in the quarter-finals of the French Open. The Belarusian star not only delivered a commanding performance on Court Philippe-Chatrier but also stole the spotlight with a memorable post-match celebration. Sabalenka overpowered fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the first women’s night-session match on the iconic court in three years. The Belarusian showcased her dominance with a powerful serving performance, firing 12 aces and winning 83 percent of points behind her first serve.“I didn’t expect I would serve that great,” Sabalenka said after the match. “I feel like I’m getting better and better with every match I play, and overall I’m super happy with how I played today.”Following match point, Sabalenka delighted the Paris crowd by channeling Michael Jackson and breaking into a playful moonwalk on the clay, adding a touch of entertainment to an already impressive evening. Everyone knows Sabalenka’s love for dancing, with her locker-room routines regularly going viral on social media. However, seeing her pull off the iconic moonwalk during her on-court interview came as a delightful surprise, drawing huge cheers from the Parisian crowd that had stayed late into the night to watch the top seed headline the evening session.Osaka, meanwhile, exited the tournament after recording her best-ever run at Roland Garros. The former World No. 1 once again wore the sequined gold outfit she compared to the Eiffel Tower at night but was unable to counter Sabalenka’s relentless power and precision.Next up for Sabalenka is Russian left-hander Diana Shnaider, who booked her place in the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 victory over former Australian Open champion Madison Keys.
