Sabalenka breaks through into first RG quarter-final

Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka extended her quest for the No. 1 ranking as the second seed swamped former French Open finalist Sloane Stephens 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Sunday.

The night match – an acquired taste at the last Grand Slam holdout against twilight tennis – was the first in eight days to feature women instead of the more popular men’s contests.

Sabalenka took little notice of the far-from-full stands on the Chatrier showcourt as she went about her business against her American opponent.

The win lifts her into a last-eight matchup against popular Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in a clash where a post-match handshake will not  be on the programme given Sablenka’s Belarus nationality.

Sabalenka won the opening set in a tiebreaker and broke to nudge ahead 3-2 in the second set only to lose it, 4-all.

But an immediate breakback solved that problem as Sabalenka ,finished off the match a game later to love on her first match point after one and three-quarter hours.

Depending on results, the WTA No. 2 could take over the top WTA ranking from Iga Swiatek after next weekend’s final.

Sabalenka claimed her a leading 33rd Tour match win this season as she advances in the only major where she has never reached the semi-finals.

Stephens played the final here in 2018, losing to Simona Halep. The American came into the match with wins in 13 of her last 15 matches on clay, including a minor title last month in France.