{"id":59755,"date":"2026-06-02T04:57:58","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T08:57:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/aryna-sabalenka-world-no-1-hopes-for-more-womens-matches-in-french-open-night-session-after-beating-naomi-osaka-tennis-news\/02\/06\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T04:58:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T08:58:07","slug":"aryna-sabalenka-world-no-1-hopes-for-more-womens-matches-in-french-open-night-session-after-beating-naomi-osaka-tennis-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/sport\/aryna-sabalenka-world-no-1-hopes-for-more-womens-matches-in-french-open-night-session-after-beating-naomi-osaka-tennis-news\/02\/06\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Aryna Sabalenka: World No 1 hopes for more women\u2019s matches in French Open night session after beating Naomi Osaka | Tennis News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Aryna Sabalenka hopes French Open organisers have been persuaded to put more women\u2019s matches on in the night session after her high-class performance against Naomi Osaka on Monday.<\/p>\n

For the first time in three years and only the fifth time since the one-match night session was introduced in 2021, a women’s match was given centre stage, ending a sequence of 33 consecutive men’s contests.<\/p>\n

Sabalenka’s fourth-round clash with four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka was one of the biggest matches of the tournament so far, but the Japanese star was outplayed in a 7-5 6-3 defeat lasting an hour and 27 minutes<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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The victory means Sabalenka has reached at least the quarter-finals in her last 14 major tournaments and she has a first French Open title firmly in her sights.<\/p>\n

“I think it’s really important that they put our match today as a night session,” said the top seed. “I think that’s the right move. I think the atmosphere and the attention that this match brought is going to show them that, for the future, they should consider putting, at least sometimes, women’s matches at night.<\/p>\n

“So I hope that this is the beginning. It’s like we open up that door for women’s night sessions.”<\/p>\n

Value to ticket-holders<\/h3>\n
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Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has repeatedly cited concerns over the length of women’s matches and giving value to ticket-holders as the primary reason for not scheduling them during the night session<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Australian and US Opens both put two contests in their evening schedules but Roland-Garros organisers do not want the sort of early morning play that often occurs at those events.<\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters earlier on Monday, Mauresmo said: “I think this match is the best match of the day. Multiple Grand Slam winners, so it was, for us, obvious this should be the night session.”<\/p>\n

Sabalenka was also involved in the last women’s night match, against Sloane Stephens in 2023 – although it was so long ago that she had forgotten the occasion.<\/p>\n

Jessica Pegula and Ons Jabeur were among those to criticise schedulers last year when they again failed to showcase women’s tennis during a night session.<\/p>\n

“We are an event that is supposed to be equal. Slams, it’s supposed to be equal. Why not give us some more chances to be?” Pegula said at the time.<\/p>\n

Jabeur added: “It’s unfortunate for women’s sports in general. Not for tennis, but in general.<\/p>\n

“It’s a bit ironic. They don’t show women’s sport, they don’t show women’s tennis, and then they ask the question, ‘yeah, but mostly they [viewers] watch men’. Of course they watch men more because you show men more. Everything goes together.”<\/p>\n

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\n Naomi Osaka’s Eiffel Tower-inspired look continued for her fourth-round match against Sabalenka
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Osaka said of playing at night: “I thought it was really cool. Obviously she’s really good for tennis. I would hope I’m OK for tennis, too. It was really fun to play.”<\/p>\n

The Japanese star insisted she did not feel any pressure to ensure the match lived up to the occasion, saying: “Obviously you don’t want to be beaten 6-0 6-0, but that’s anywhere on any court.<\/p>\n

“If I was on court 27, I wouldn’t want to be beaten that fast either. Shout out to the tournament for trusting us. I hope it was entertaining for people.”<\/p>\n

New WTA chief executive Valerie Camillo met Mauresmo at Roland-Garros this week, where she called for a greater representation of women’s matches.<\/p>\n

Serena’s comeback<\/h3>\n
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<\/p>\n


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With Serena Williams announcing her return to tennis, we look back at her last professional match against Ajla Tomljanovic at the 2022 US Open<\/span>
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Serena Williams has become the latest A-list athlete to plan an encore performance with a return to competitive tennis after a nearly \u200cfour-year absence for the 23-time Grand Slam winner and mother of two.<\/p>\n

The 44-year-old received a wildcard entry into the doubles draw at this month’s Queen’s \u200cClub Championships.<\/p>\n

She ended months of speculation over \u200ba rumoured return with a social media video captioned: “Good news travels fast.”<\/p>\n

World No 1 Sabalenka said: “That’s cool. She has a really cool personality. She’s fun, and she’s a legend. It’s inspiring to see.<\/p>\n

“I’m actually excited to see her play and probably face her, so it’s very cool. It’s very good news for tennis.”<\/p>\n

Watch the ATP and WTA Tours, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW<\/a> and the Sky Sports app<\/a>, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50 per cent more live sport this year at no extra cost. Find out more here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Aryna Sabalenka hopes French Open organisers have been persuaded to put more women’s matches on in the night session after her high-class