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Sabalenka defeated Krejcikova 6-2 6-3 in one
hour and 15 minutes on Wednesday, becoming the first player to
book her spot in the quarter-finals.
The Belarusian said the victory over the 2021 French Open winner
handed her a confidence boost ahead of the May 28-June 11 major
on the Parisian clay.
"It's tough but an interesting challenge to play the first match
against a Grand Slam champion," Australian Open winner Sabalenka,
who received a bye in the opening round, told reporters.
"It is something unique like you're never going to play the
first round against a Grand Slam champion in the bigger
tournament.
"I think it's a good preparation before the bigger tournament.
You play only tough matches from the first round, so I think
it's a good tournament to play before going into the big
tournaments."
Sabalenka has never reached the second week at the French Open,
bowing out in the third round at the last three editions, but
the 24-year-old said earlier in the week the Parisian clay was
not the problem.
"I was just struggling with the Grand Slams before and it was
more about me really wanting to win a Grand Slam and me getting
really crazy on matches than something about the clay," she said
on Tuesday.
"Because clay is good there and it's one of the best clay courts
there. I really like the courts, and hopefully this year I'll be
able to do well."
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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