French Open 2024: Aryna Sabalenka vs Emma Navarro preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick | Roland Garros
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Aryna Sabalenka vs (22) Emma Navarro
Date: June 3, 2024
Tournament: French Open 2024
Round: Fourth Round (Round of 16)
Venue: Paris, France
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Clay (Outdoor)
Prize Money: £53,478,000
Live Telecast: USA - NBC, Tennis Channel, Peacock | Canada - TSN, RDS | UK - Eurosport, Discovery+ | India - Sony Ten
Aryna Sabalenka vs Emma Navarro preview
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka will square off against Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the 2024 French Open on Monday (June 3).
Sabalenka secured straight-set victories over Erika Andreeva and Moyuka Uchijima to reach the third round, where she faced her good friend Paula Badosa. The pair traded service breaks to start the match, after which they remained steady on serve for a while.
Badosa took control of the reins to go 5-3 up but Sabalenka dug deep to flip the match on its head, bagging the next four games to claim the opener. The Belarusian dished out a breadstick in the next set as she sprinted into the next round with a 7-5, 6-1 win.
Navarro, meanwhile, knocked out Zeynep Somnez and Sara Errani to make the third round, where she took on the in-form Madison Keys. The latter led by a break twice in the opening set and even held a set point but couldn't close out the set.
Navarro gained the upper hand in the tie-break to take a one-set lead. Just like Keys, she squandered her lead twice in the second set. However, unlike her, she managed to recover, getting the better of her compatriot once again in the tie-break for a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) victory.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Emma Navarro head-to-head
Navarro leads Sabalenka 1-0 in the head-to-head. She won their previous encounter at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open in three sets.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Emma Navarro odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Aryna Sabalenka vs Emma Navarro prediction
Sabalenka navigated some troubled waters in the first set but raised her level to finish the match smoothly against Badosa. She notched her 10th consecutive win at the Majors this year, all in straight sets to boot.
Navarro remained composed in the face of Keys' aggressive shotmaking to oust her and reach the fourth round of a Major for the first time. Having upset Sabalenka earlier this year, the American will be itching for a repeat.
However, Sabalenka was in the midst of a slump back then. She has rediscovered her form since, reaching the finals in Madrid and Rome over the past month. While Navarro got a taste of first-strike tennis on clay against Keys, the Belarusian has a bit more variety in her game.
Sabalenka is throwing in quite a few drop shots these days, and is quite adept at volleying too. Having lost to Navarro before, she knows what to expect this time. She'll be wary of her opponent's down-the-line shots and serve even better than the last time. The Belarusian is a quick learner and improves from her losses, and that should help her reach the next round.
Pick: Aryna Sabalenka to win in straight sets.