Tennis
2026-06-01 - Aryna Sabalenka vs Naomi Osaka
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
Tennis : French Open Fourth Round
Monday 1st June 2026 - Scheduled 8:15pm
7:15pm (British Time)
Preview
For the first time in three years, the French Open organisers have scheduled a Women's match for the Night Session on Court Philippe-Chatrier. Plenty have criticised the organisers for failing to use a Women's match in a primetime spot, but the reason that has been given is that there is every chance that those matches will not provide value for money and so a best of five set Men's match has been preferred.
It will put some pressure on the shoulders of Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka to provide the right amount of entertainment for fans who are paying a premium to attend the Night Session.
However, you have to believe that two multiple time Grand Slam Champions are able to cope with that expectation and this feels like a big Fourth Round match after the Women's tournament saw the likes of Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek join Elena Rybakina in being eliminated before the Quarter Final.
This has hardened Aryna Sabalenka into being favourite to win the title in Paris over the next few days after finishing 2025 as Runner Up at this event.
She has not played a lot of clay court tennis in preparation for the French Open, while an early defeat in Rome will have meant there were some questions for Aryna Sabalenka to answer when she arrived in the French capital. Three straight wins and all in straight sets will have been a good response to any doubters, but Aryna Sabalenka will be aware that this is the toughest test she will have faced at the French Open to this stage of the tournament.
Naomi Osaka has won four Grand Slam titles, but all on the hard courts and the last of those was at the Australian Open in 2021- she has struggled to return to the consistent level she once produced and the Fourth Round run here in Paris is only the second time Naomi Osaka has reached the second week of a Grand Slam tournament since her last Major in January 2021.
Last September, Naomi Osaka reached the US Open Semi Final, but the French Open and Wimbledon have been her poorest Grand Slam events and this is the first time she has reached the business end of either of those tournaments.
The win over Iva Jovic and the manner in which it was produced will have given Naomi Osaka confidence, but this is a tough test for the World Number 16 who has struggled for consistency on the clay courts.
Serving well will give Naomi Osaka a chance, although she will have to get plenty of first serves in play to put Aryna Sabalenka under pressure in what are expected to be warm conditions, but nothing like what has been seen in Paris over the last few days.
Improving the return against the elite players on the Tour is another challenge for Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka will be confident having beaten her pretty convincingly twice already this season.
One of those wins was on the clay courts of Madrid as Aryna Sabalenka recovered from losing an opening set Tie-Breaker to roll through the next couple of sets.
In the two matches played against one another this season, Aryna Sabalenka has been the much superior server and she is the better clay court player. There will be moments where Naomi Osaka will be able to get on top of the rallies, but the World Number 1 may not have many better chances to win a Grand Slam title in Paris and she can record a confident victory in this big Fourth Round match.
Prediction
The top Seed in the draw has seen her rivals fall by the wayside, but Aryna Sabalenka will have to focus in her bid to make another French Open Quarter Final.
The Pick :
Aryna Sabalenka 2-0 Naomi Osaka
