PARIS - Japan's Naomi Osaka exited from the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-5, 6-3 loss to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Monday.
The 16th-seeded Osaka started strongly, taking a 2-0 lead in the opening set at Roland Garros before the top seed from Belarus clicked into gear.
Sabalenka did not face a break point for the remainder of the match and totaled 12 aces in a formidable display of her service game.
She hit 39 winners, including five on drop shots, earning her opponent's praise.
"All of the people I have played this tournament have hit drop shots," former world No. 1 Osaka said. "Obviously she's the hardest-hitting one. Like, when she hits a drop shot, it works better, I think, because she obviously could hit a winner too if she wanted to."
Osaka was aiming to become the first Japanese woman to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament since Kimiko Date in 1995.
Sabalenka will face Russian 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the last eight.
