Sabalenka’s Ruthless Start—But Danilović’s Response Surprised Everyone

World No. Aryna Sabalenka powered past Olga Danilović in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, to book her place in the Roland-Garros fourth round. Sabalenka’s aggressive start saw her race to a 5-0 lead in under minutes, dominating with precise serves and heavy groundstrokes Danilović, ranked 34th, struggled to find her rhythm early, hampered by unforced errors and a low first-serve percentage.

Despite the lopsided opening, Danilović fought back late in the first set and pushed Sabalenka in the second, even producing more winners than the top seed (18 to 17) Her left-handed power and resilience forced Sabalenka to raise her level, but ultimately the Belarusian’s consistency and tactical variety proved decisive. Sabalenka’s ability to mix up her play—including a 91% success rate at net against Danilović—highlighted her evolving approach on clay.

With this win, Sabalenka remains unbeaten in the first week of Grand Slams since 2022 and advances to face Amanda Anisimova in the next round, keeping her title hopes alive at Roland-Garros.