“Aryna Sabalenka joins the elite list with victory at Roland Garros.”

Aryna Sabalenka continues to dominate Roland Garros and achieves a historic feat that places her alongside legends of world tennis. The world number one asserted herself with authority in this edition of the Grand Slam in Paris, dispatching Daria Kasatkina with a resounding victory of 6-0, 7-5, securing her place in the round of 16, where she will face heavyweight rival Naomi Osaka.

Sabalenka, who has not dropped a single set in her matches against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Elsa Jacquemot, and now Kasatkina, confirms her status as one of the uncontested favorites to win the title. Her impressive performance on Court Suzanne-Lenglen not only highlights her dominance on clay but also allowed her to reach a rare milestone in women’s tennis history: the Belarusian has become only the ninth player to achieve 100 victories as the world number one.

This exclusive list includes impressive names such as Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, Serena Williams, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Iga Swiatek, and Justine Henin — elite companions that highlight the significance of Sabalenka’s achievement. With 80 consecutive weeks at the top of the WTA rankings since October 2024, the 28-year-old tennis player has withstood the challenges posed by heavyweight rivals such as Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, the latter having been eliminated early in Paris, further increasing the Belarusian’s chances of extending her lead in the world rankings.

The next obstacle for Sabalenka is Naomi Osaka, an opponent with whom she has a heated rivalry in the 2026 season. They have faced each other twice, with Sabalenka winning at Indian Wells and the Madrid tournament— the latter being an intense duel that required the world number one to recover after losing the first set. Osaka, on her part, holds onto the memory of her only victory over Sabalenka, in the third round of the 2018 US Open, a tournament she would go on to win, reinforcing her ability to surprise.

However, Sabalenka is still seeking to win her first title at Roland Garros, after suffering a bitter defeat in the 2025 final against American Coco Gauff, who surprised her in the windy conditions of Paris, winning 6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–4. This year, Gauff and Sabalenka find themselves in the same half of the draw, potentially rematching in a highly anticipated semi-final, a clash that promises intense emotions.

With this victory and her strengthened status, Aryna Sabalenka not only writes another chapter in her dream career but also firmly positions herself in the race for the title that eludes her in Paris and in the history of women’s tennis. The upcoming battle with Naomi Osaka is undoubtedly one of the main reasons fans are closely following the unfolding of this Roland Garros.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.