Sabalenkova and Osaka team up after clash at Roland Garros, women want in prime time

When world No. 1s Aryna Sabalenkova and Naomi Osaka took to Court Philippe-Chatrier on Monday night, they had more than just their racquets with them. Three-year-old structural blockades carried the weight.

Their blockbuster clash saw the fourth round Sabalenka triumphed 7-5 6-3, officially ended an eye-popping streak of 33 consecutive men’s night matches at Roland Garros.

In a tournament where prime-time real estate was fiercely guarded against the men’s draw, the two tennis icons took advantage of their post-match press conferences to form a united front, demanding that tournament organizers permanently break that planned glass ceiling.

PRIME-TIME DOOR OPENING

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has faced growing criticism for how she has handled the separate evening slot since its introduction in 2021. Before Monday, only four of the first 60 night matches featured women’s singles matches, and absolutely none were scheduled from 2023. That previous match, ironically, also involved Sabalenka when she defeated Sloane Stephens.

While Mauresmo has historically defended the male bias by citing the value to ticket holders and the shorter duration of women’s best-of-three matches, the electrifying atmosphere generated by Sabalenko and Osaka completely dismantled that narrative.

“I think it’s really important that they put our match today as a night match. That’s the right step,” Sabalenkova said after her victory. “The atmosphere and attention this match brought will show them that they should probably consider doing women’s matches at least sometime in the future. I hope this is a start … that we’ve opened the door.”

Osaka echoed the sentiment, expressing pride at being selected for the historic milestone despite the tough loss. “I am honored that the tournament has selected us to play in this slot,” Osaka noted. “I hope they continue to do so in the future.”

PERSPECTIVE BEYOND THE BASELINE

The on-court battle showed exactly why the women’s game demands prime-time billing as Sabalenkova overcame a sharp opening attack from Osaka to book her place in the quarter-finals.

But despite the high stakes, both women displayed an inspiring level of emotional maturity once the dust settled.

Osaka, who reached the fourth round of the French Open for the first time in her career, shared a remarkably grounded, philosophical take on bridging the competitive gap between her and Sabalenka.

“I kind of realized it didn’t matter at all,” Osaka mused.

“I can’t get discouraged every time I lose to someone or win over someone. Because frankly, hitting the ball doesn’t really matter, like on Earth.”

Ultimately, this match showed that the value of women’s tennis cannot be measured by set length or telecast timing alone.

By combining a world-class performance on clay with an unapologetic demand for institutional equality, Sabalenka and Osaka sent an undeniable message to tournament organizers: women’s tennis is more than capable of holding its own in prime time.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

02 Jun 2026 08:36 IST