Sabalenka powers past Osaka to reach Indian Wells quarter-finals

• World No 1 wins 6-2, 6-4 against Japanese

• Australian qualifier Talia Gibson stuns Paolini

Aryna Sabalenka eased past Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals while the fourth seed, Alexander Zverev, progressed to the last eight in the men’s event.

Sabalenka and Osaka, both four-time grand slam title winners, were meeting for the first time since 2018, when the Japanese won at the US Open en route to her maiden major title, but the world No 1’s power proved too much for one of her predecessors.

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