World number two Aryna Sabalenka swept aside Emma Navarro in straight sets on Monday to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open and extend her unbeaten run in majors to 11 matches.
The two-time reigning Australian Open champion completely overpowered Navarro with her thundering baseline game as she clinched an emphatic 6-2 6-3 victory over the American.
The 22nd-ranked Navarro had stunned Sabalenka at Indian Wells in March but the Belarusian broke her to love at the very start of the contest as she raced through the first set in 30 minutes.
The 26-year-old consistently attacked Navarro’s weak second serve and secured another early break in the second set, leaving her opponent with too sizable a mountain to scale.
Sabalenka clinched victory shortly after the hour mark and will next face Varvara Gracheva or teenage talent Mirra Andreeva in the last eight.
“I was ready to fight for every point, I was ready for long rallies,” Sabalenka said. “I was super happy with the level I played.”
Rybakina dumps out Svitolina in straight sets
World number four Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan eased to a 6-4 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Elena Svitolina to reach her second French Open quarter-final.
After a sluggish start, with both players dropping serve, Rybakina upped her level up and ultimately cruised through the first set.
In the second, Svitolina was no match again for Rybakina as the 19th-ranked Ukrainian showed signs of fatigue from the start and lacked precision throughout.
Svitolina had reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros four times before, including last year, but was unable to trouble the former Wimbledon champion.
“Really happy with the performance,” Rybakina said afterwards. “She is a great fighter. It’s difficult to beat her.
“I am really proud of how I have improved in the last few years.”
Rybakina is into the last eight in Paris for the first time since 2021, where she’ll face 12th seed Jasmine Paolini after the Italian fought back to beat Elina Avanesyan 4-6 6-0 6-1 and reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final.
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