On another scorcher in Paris, Australian Daria Kasatkina tested but ultimately fell short against world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in a spirited second set on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
While the 6-0 7-5 triumph of Sabalenka will be celebrated by Roland Garros promoters given she now clashes with four-time major champion Naomi Osaka, it also ends the Australian run at the French Open, with all 13 singles players now out.
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The inability of an Aussie to reach the second week of the red clay major brings an end to what Ajla Tomljanovic described as a “horrendous six weeks” in Europe for most of the green and gold contingent.
There were exceptions, but they were fleeting moments of hope rather than prolonged reasons to celebrate.
Kim Birrell and Adam Walton depart Paris knowing they can match the best after defeating American star Jessica Pegula and Daniil Medvedev respectively in their opening round matches, but could not parlay those wins into deep runs.
Kasatkina, too, enjoyed a decent clay swing after a testing start to this season, winning a lower tier title earlier in May before decent runs in Strasbourg and in Paris.
A former Roland Garros semifinalist, she stayed with the Belarusian star on Saturday throughout the second set after the dual-Australian Open champion whipped through the first set in less than 30 minutes.
The N0.53 ranked Aussie had her chances late as she strived to force a deciding set, moving to 0-30 on the Sabalenka serve at 5-all. In the final game, Sabalenka got lucky with a net cord on the first point before Kasatkina double-faulted to fall into trouble.
As dejected as Alex de Minaur was at letting a golden opportunity slip in Paris without really landing a blow in the final three sets against Jakub Mensik, he had moments.
The season was not a par and his consistency and form was well below his peak. But even with three straight losses in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome, nor was it a complete blowout.
He reached a quarterfinal in the Monte Carlo Masters, a semifinal in Hamburg and although crunched in the latter three sets on Friday, actually departs Paris having gone a round better than a year earlier when he coughed up a two set advantage over Alexander Bublik.
Depending on who wins, the 27-year-old will actually jump a spot in the rankings to No.6 in a season where he has won a decent title in Rotterdam and did reach the last eight at the Australian Open.
It is just that his standards and goals, along with the expectations on him, are understandably far higher given he remains a constant presence in the top 10.
Kasatkina, at least, leaves Roland Garros having shown the form and talent that has made her a regular fixture in the second week of majors and a legitimate challenger on the WTA Tour.
Sabalenka, for all her theatrics and occasional dips in matches, has proven herself extremely consistent in grand slams, having reached at least the quarterfinals dating back to the 2022 US Open.
She is looking forward to the challenge of tacking Osaka after their recent meeting in Madrid went three sets, with the Belarusian winning two of their three matches to date.
“I feel like the last one in Madrid was, really tight match, was great level,” Sabalenka said.
“She really stepped in and raised her level in the last match. I’m just ready for the fight. I’m ready to go out there to fight for that match, for that win. (I’m) ready to do anything it takes to get the win.”
Osaka edged highly-talented American teenager Iva Jovic 7-6 (5) 6-7 (3) 6-4 in a tense affair lasting almost three hours to reach the last 16, which is her best run to date on clay.
In between several questions about the designs she has been wearing on to court at Roland Garros, she said she felt as fit leading into the French Open as she had ever been.
“I have been feeling pretty good. Obviously I got injured in Australia, and then the Sunshine Swing wasn’t the greatest for me,” she said.
“I really wanted to make it a goal to do really well on clay and grass. I don’t want this to be my last round. I want to keep going. Yeah, I just want to keep focusing on, like, every match.”
The French will have a player in the last 16 after Diane Parry, who plays with a beautiful one-handed backhand, won her third straight match on Philippe Chatrier Court when upsetting dual-major finalist Amanda Anisimova 6-4 4-6 7-6 (10-3).
In other women’s matches, 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya, Polish surprise packet Maja Chwalinska and Diana Shnaider also progressed, while defending champion Coco Gauff was on court in the hottest time of a day where the temperature reached 34C.