<p>World number one Sabalenka will likely face a stern test in her bid to win a maiden Roland Garros crown after suffering an agonising loss to Coco Gauff in last year's final.</p><p>A resurgent Osaka has powered into the French Open last 16 for the first time in her career, looking more at home then ever before on the Parisian clay.</p><p><strong>It will be only the fourth meeting, all at the last-16 stage of tournaments, between two of the biggest stars in the sport.</strong></p><p>Osaka edged their first encounter en route to the 2018 US Open title and then they never met again until this year.</p><p>Sabalenka saw off her Japanese opponent in straight sets in Indian Wells, before fighting back from a set down to win at the Madrid Open.</p><p>They renew their rivalry with a quarter-final against either former Australian Open champion Madison Keys or Russia's Diana Shnaider up for grabs.</p><p><strong>"It's great, great to see her back on her level. Maybe not at her best level, but she's back, she's fighting, she's building her level,"</strong> said Sabalenka of Osaka, who took a break from tennis in 2023 to give birth to her daughter.</p><p><strong>"It's nice to see her. She's a great player, great person. I feel like I really enjoy our battles. It's high-level matches, and I really enjoy when somebody pushes me to the limit."</strong></p><p>Osaka struggled initially for form after rejoining the tour, but reached the US Open semi-finals last year, the first time she had made the second week of a Grand Slam event since winning her second Australian Open title in 2021.</p><p><strong>"I really wanted to make it a goal to do really well on clay and grass,"</strong> said Osaka, who has never got past the third round at Wimbledon.</p><p><strong>"I don't want this to be my last round. I want to keep going. I just want to keep focusing on every match."</strong></p><p>Osaka has been wearing a sequined, gold dress in Paris, which she likened to the Eiffel Tower at night, but has said she may switch things up for the night session.</p><p>The last remaining French player Diane Parry will be hoping to emulate last year's surprise semi-finalist Lois Boisson and continue her dream run, going up against Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska.</p><p>Austrian 28th seed Anastasia Potapova looks to back up her win over defending champion Coco Gauff when she faces Anna Kalinskaya.</p>

Wide-open men's draw

<p>World number six Felix Auger-Aliassime is the highest-ranked player left in the top half of the men's draw after the shock exit of Jannik Sinner and an early defeat for Ben Shelton.</p><p>The Canadian will bid to reach his first French Open quarter-final when he plays Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, in the last 16 of a Slam event for the first time.</p><p>World number 85 Zachary Svajda had only won two Grand Slam matches before this tournament, but even he took notice of Sinner's loss.</p><p><strong>"When I saw Sinner was out, I try to stay present and stay positive and just take it day by day, match by match,"</strong> said the American, who takes on Italian 10th seed Flavio Cobolli.</p><p><strong>"I knew the draw was open, but I just tried to keep doing my routines, keep doing what I've been doing, and just see what happens."</strong></p><p>Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini targets his first Slam quarter-final since 2022 when he goes up against Sinner's conqueror Juan Manuel Cerundolo on Court Suzanne Lenglen.</p><p>Frances Tiafoe, who lost to Lorenzo Musetti in the last eight 12 months ago, plays another Italian in Matteo Arnaldi.</p>