French Open 2026: Gold-sequinned Osaka survives three-setter, to face Sabalenka next

PARIS: Naomi Osaka’s tennis dress — embellished with gold sequence — has grabbed more headlines than her tennis at the French Open. On Saturday, the four-time major winner’s play echoed the sparkle of her costume, as she powered into the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time.Osaka, whose four major titles have come on hardcourts in Melbourne and New York, has been in the third round here thrice previously. This time, up against the 18-year-old American Iva Jovic, she scored a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4 win to set up a blockbuster last-16 showdown against the world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who saw off Daria Kasatkina’s late charge 6-0, 7-5.“I’m just a lot calmer now. I accept that it’s a process,” Osaka said.