Second seed ruthless against Indian Wells conqueror Navarro
©Philippe Montigny / FFTAryna Sabalenka’s quest for back-to-back majors has shifted up a gear after she thundered past American fourth-round debutante Emma Navarro at Roland-Garros on Monday.
In her first match played with the roof open on Court Philippe-Chatrier this tournament, the two-time Australian Open champion relished competing in sun-drenched quicker conditions for a dominant 6-2, 6-3 result.
Navarro had won just three matches in five previous Grand Slam main draw appearances but had not dropped a set on her run to the second week, including back-to-back wins over former finalist Sara Errani and 14th seed Madison Keys.
Crucially, she had taken down the world No.2 in their only previous meeting in the Indian Wells fourth round.
This though, in faster conditions and with more at stake on a stage Sabalenka is very much at home on, was an entirely different matter.
As expected, Sabalenka’s weight of shot was telling from the outset. A wrong-footing backhand down the line lifted her to 4-0 in under 20 minutes and she required only 11 minutes more to roll through the first set, which she snatched on a confident drop-shot winner.
Navarro, the 2019 girls’ singles runner-up, loves hitting to corners on her terms, but that was an uphill battle against a player dictating and barely putting a foot wrong.
©Philippe Montigny / FFTThe American had nominated attacking returns as one of the cornerstones of her game but was not making many inroads on that front against a player beating her at her own game.
It was sustained pressure and Sabalenka broke to love on a fiercely angled backhand return winner for 2-1 in the second set before she pulled through a rare test on serve with consecutive aces to consolidate.
Bold and aggressive, Sabalenka did not hesitate to move forward and did a fine job of pushing her opponent into the corners.
It was reaping rewards. Relentless defence turned a 15-shot rally in her favour, which she ended on a backhand volley winner to inch to within a game of victory.
She broke at the 69-minute mark and has a shot at her seventh straight major semi-final should she defeat Mirra Andreeva or Varvara Gracheva next.
Former world No.1 Lindsay Davenport, commentating for Tennis Channel, hailed Sabalenka’s performance as some of her “best clay-court tennis ever” after she racked up 36 winners – 21 more than her opponent.
It was the Australian Open champion’s 11th straight Grand Slam match win this year and she improved to 34-3 in matches at the majors since the beginning of last year.
Sabalenka claimed 85 per cent of first-serve points and pummelled her opponent’s second serve, winning 14 of 17 points. She did not face a break point throughout.
On gaining revenge against her Indian Wells conqueror: “I played a really tough battle against her at Indian Wells. It was a really tough match and I was going here today ready to fight for every point. I was ready for long rallies. I knew that I had to work hard for this win, so I'm super happy with the level I played today."
On playing in faster, sunny conditions: “Definitely with the sun you feel more positive. It's been tough the last how many days with the rain and now playing with the roof open and people can enjoy watching tennis in beautiful conditions. The only difference was it was a little bit windy, but I was just focusing on myself and I was just trying to do my best each point.”
ROLAND-GARROS
19 May - 8 June 2025
