Felix Auger-Aliassime continued his run at Roland Garros on Monday, defeating Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 to reach his first quarterfinal at the clay major.

The victory marked two milestones for the No. 4 seed. It was his first trip to the Roland Garros quarterfinal; his previous best showings at the tournament were fourth-round exits in 2022, when he lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal, and in 2024, when he fell to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. It also made him the first Canadian man ever to reach the quarterfinals or better at all four Grand Slam events. Not just in the Open Era, but ever.

In a match between Canadian-born players—Auger-Aliassime was born in Montreal and Tabilo in Toronto, though he now competes for Chile—Auger-Aliassime seized control early. He broke in the fourth game to lead 3-1 and closed the first set in 39 minutes. The second set was tighter; Tabilo produced chances, including a break point with Auger-Aliassime serving at 3-4, but Auger-Aliassime saved it, held, then secured the only break for a 6-5 lead and served out the set.

Tabilo held to open the third set, but Auger-Aliassime then ran off six consecutive games. He finished the match with a powerful backhand return winner after two hours and six minutes.

“My best match so far in the tournament,” he said. “Over the victory, it feels good. It feels good to play the way that I ambition to play in this game. Today, in a Grand Slam, this is the type of match that you want to play. I’m happy with my performance.”

Waiting in the quarterfinals is No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli, who beat Zachary Svajda 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5) earlier in the day. Cobolli holds a 2-0 head-to-head edge over Auger-Aliassime, with both wins coming in 2024: Acapulco (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) and Cincinnati (6-3, 6-2).

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