A primetime return to the clay major suited Aryna Sabalenka. The world No. 1 defeated Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in a single-match night session, firing 12 aces and losing serve just once in an 87-minute victory that moved her into the quarterfinals.

At 2023 Roland Garros, Aryna Sabalenka defeated Sloane Stephens in a night session on Court Philippe Chatrier to reach the quarterfinals. It would take three years for a women’s match to get another primetime call at the clay-court major and Sabalenka again prevailed against a fellow Grand Slam champion.

“If they would come back to me and ask, ‘Would you like to play night session? I would say, ‘Yes, definitely yes.’ The atmosphere was really cool,” Sabalenka shared in her press conference. “But at the same time, I have nothing against playing the first match or second match, because then you have more time to rest and to recover.”

Osaka also welcomed the spotlight: “The last time I remember playing, like, a semi-night match here was obviously against Iga, but I was told it wasn’t the official night match. I am honored that the tournament chose us to play in this slot, and I hope that going forward that they will continue to do so.

“Shout-out to the tournament for trusting us. I hope it was entertaining for people.”

The win extended Sabalenka’s run of major success: she has reached the quarterfinals or better at each of the last 14 majors she entered, including four consecutive deep runs at Roland Garros. The 2025 runner-up is the only member of the WTA’s Top 5 to reach this stage here; four-time champion Iga Swiatek was eliminated Sunday by Marta Kostyuk. Among Sabalenka’s Top 10 contemporaries, Elina Svitolina and Mirra Andreeva remain in the draw amid a tournament of surprising results.

“I was able to kind of separate myself from what’s going on this year at Roland Garros. I have been around,” she said, before turning her attention to No. 25 seed Diana Shnaider, who awaits in the quarterfinal.

Learning of Serena Williams stepping out of retirement to begin a doubles comeback next week, the 28-year-old added, “it’s very good news for tennis.”

Joao Fonseca followed a headline-making third-round victory over Novak Djokovic with another major statement at Roland Garros, defeating two-time finalist Casper Ruud in four hours and minus four minutes of drama, 7-5, 7-6 (8), 5-7, 6-2. The 19-year-old Brazilian, already one of the tournament’s most talked-about young players, is now one of two teenagers through to the quarterfinals alongside Rafael Jodar.

Fonseca’s path here included a remarkable comeback against Djokovic, becoming just the second man to beat Djokovic at Roland Garros after dropping the first two sets, a mark previously set by Jurgen Melzer in 2010. On Sunday he traded heavy forehands and long rallies with the 27-year-old clay specialist before pulling away late. The final numbers underscored how close the contest was: each man finished with 51 winners and an identical 52 errors. Fonseca’s backhand, however, proved the decisive edge in several key moments.

Asked about his versatility in a post-match interview with Mats Wilander, Fonseca said: “It’s more like heart, or mind, I don’t know, I just try to be me on the court. Try to be happy, try to hit winners, try to hit good shots, try to be entertainment … try to be me, and that’s what it is.”

Those words echoed across a week that also drew the attention of Gustavo Kuerten, who watched the match and appeared pleased with the way Fonseca is building on a Brazilian legacy. Fonseca is a 6-foot-2 right-hander with notable power and a broad set of weapons; his temperament and shotmaking have become a central part of his rise.

The run here follows a turbulent sophomore season: a nagging back injury that affected his off-season preparation, an early Australian Open exit and a 1-3 record heading into Indian Wells. He has been careful about expectations, saying in Monte Carlo, “I think the expectations are going to come. People see young players doing great things, and they pull us into the top of the rankings. People need time. Everyone has their own time, so I want to do my history. I hope I’ll be there competing against them [top players], but people need to understand that I need time to become what they want me to do and I want to become.”

Fonseca’s run now brings fresh comparisons and cautions; Jim Courier advised, “Be careful of that hangover.” Still, after five-set wins over Dino Prizmic and Djokovic and Sunday’s victory over Ruud, Fonseca’s immediate problem is simple: maintain the level that has taken him this far. I just try to be me on the court. Try to be happy, try to hit winners, try to hit good shots, try to be entertainment … and that’s what it is. Joao Fonseca

Roland Garros has imposed a $65,000 fine on Paraguayan Adolfo Daniel Vallejo after comments he made about the chair umpire following his second-round match.

The 22-year-old, ranked 71st, lost a nearly five-hour, five-set match to 17-year-old Frenchman Moise Kouame. Vallejo led 5-2 in the fifth set before the contest was decided in a tiebreaker. After the match he criticized Brazil’s Ana Carvalho, saying she was not strong enough to handle the partisan crowd and that such a match “has to be refereed by a man.”

“It’s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd,” he told Spanish-language outlet Clay. “The crowd was very out of line, but I understand they’re supporting their compatriot. It’s quite an intense crowd and that’s why I was prepared; I already knew it would be like that and, to be honest, it didn’t harm me, but rather strengthened him.”

Roland Garros and the French Tennis Federation called the remarks “unacceptable” and said Vallejo would receive a “significant sanction.” “The competence of an umpire is not determined by their gender, but by their professionalism and ability to officiate at the highest level,” the statement read. “The outcome of a sporting event, whether positive or negative, can never justify or excuse such remarks.”

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo told reporters the fine was “representing roughly half of his prize money.” Organizers noted that players reaching the second round at the French Open receive 130,000 euros ($151,000) and later clarified that the fine was $65,000, not euros. “This is clearly unacceptable,” Mauresmo said. “Once again, such remarks have no place here.”

Vallejo subsequently said his comments had been misrepresented and issued an apology on social media. “my comments were not meant in the way they have been understood.” “I have respect for the umpire and for the job they do, after a [five-hour] battle I was very heated and with a lot of emotions, I apologize,” Vallejo wrote on Instagram late on Friday. “I also want to clarify that I didn’t blame the lost [sic] on her, she did a good job throughout the whole match.”