World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka combined power, precision and personality as she beat former champion Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open. The Belarusian star not only delivered a commanding performance on Court Philippe-Chatier, but also stole the spotlight with a memorable post-match celebration. Sabalenka overcame fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka 7-5, 6-3 in the first women’s night session match on the famous court in three years. The Belarusian showed her dominance with a powerful serving performance, firing 12 aces and winning 83 percent of points behind her first serve.“I didn’t expect to serve so well,” Sabalenka said after the match. “I feel like I’m getting better and better with every match I play, and overall I’m very happy with how I played today.”After match point, Sabalenka serenaded the Paris crowd with Michael Jackson and a playful moonwalk on clay, adding a touch of fun to an already impressive evening. Sablenka’s love for dance is well known, with her locker room routines regularly going viral on social media. However, it was a pleasant surprise to see him pull off a stunning moonwalk during his on-court interview, drawing huge cheers from the Paris crowd who stayed late into the night to see the top seed headline the evening session.Osaka, meanwhile, crashed out of the tournament after recording its best ever run at Roland Garros. The former world No. 1 once again wore gold in the night’s Eiffel Tower contest but was unable to match Sablenka’s relentless power and precision.Next up for Sabalenka is Russian left-hander Diana Schneider, who beat former Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 to reach the quarter-finals.
