Osaka reaches first Wimbledon quarter-final after beating Sabalenka

LONDON: Naomi Osaka moved into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time on Sunday after a straight-sets victory over top seed Aryna Sabalenka, winning 6-2, 7-6(2) on Centre Court.

The fourth-round meeting between the two multiple Grand Slam champions had been billed as one of the standout matches of day seven, but 14th seed Osaka controlled much of the contest. The Japanese player, back on tour in 2024 after the birth of her daughter Shai, sealed her biggest win since returning to competition.

Sabalenka struggled badly in the opening set, with her power-based game failing to click as Osaka broke serve twice and wrapped up the set in 32 minutes. The second set was more competitive and closer to the type of contest the crowd had expected, but Osaka stayed composed in the tiebreak to end Sabalenka’s run of 21 consecutive unbeaten Grand Slam tiebreaks.

The defeat left the women’s draw more open heading into the second week, after defending champion Iga Swiatek and second seed Elena Rybakina had already exited in the third round on Saturday. Sabalenka had reached the semi-finals in her previous three Wimbledon appearances, but she was unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

Osaka said the occasion meant a great deal, especially after earning her first win on Centre Court and after losing her previous three meetings in a row against Sabalenka.

"I think it was a really fun match. I'm really grateful for this. Even if I lost, I would still think it was a great match," she said.

"I mean it's been a long time since I've had so much fun on the court. To do it here, it really means a lot. I lost to her like three times in a row, so that really sucked. So I wanted to turn it over," she added.

Sabalenka showed visible frustration during the match and, after missing a backhand on match point, hit a ball high out of Centre Court. She also struck her racquet against her head early in the second set as she tried to change the momentum. Speaking shortly after the loss, the world number one did not hide her disappointment.

"Now I want to go and get drunk and forget about tennis," Sabalenka said at her press conference.

She later said Osaka’s level left her with little room to respond. "I wasn't really thinking about my tiebreak record at all. As I said, what could I do if the person is acing and hitting the lines, going for her shots without fear? I was really battling myself. She was just going for it," she added.

Quarter-final next for Osaka

Osaka will next play 10th seed Karolina Muchova. Muchova’s victory over fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova ensured that Wimbledon will crown a ninth successive first-time women’s champion at the All England Club.

Both Osaka and Sabalenka are more commonly associated with success on hard courts, where they have won all four of their Grand Slam titles each. Osaka had beaten Sabalenka during her 2018 US Open title run, but the pair then went almost eight years without meeting again before renewing their rivalry at this year’s French Open, where Sabalenka won.

Osaka has attracted attention at this year’s tournament for her Japanese-inspired walk-on outfits, but on Sunday it was her returning, serving and clean hitting from the baseline that made the difference as she delivered one of the biggest results of the women’s draw so far.