By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: AELTC.
Former world No 1 Naomi Osaka progressed to the women’s singles quarter-finals with a 6-2 7-6 (7-2) victory over world number one Aryna Sabalenka.
This is Sabalenka’s earliest exit at a Grand Slam since the 2022 French Open, and the first time she has exited one in straight sets for 122 matches.
It is a first Wimbledon last-eight appearance for Osaka, who also reached the second week of the French Open for the first time last month.
With eight grand slam titles between them, the blockbuster duel topped the day seven bill but it ended up lacking the expected fireworks as 14th seed Osaka dominated. Sabalenka was left screaming in frustration during a 32-minute opening set as her power game misfired.
The second set was more like the high-octane contest the crowd had expected but a serene Osaka stayed cool to snap Sabalenka’s streak of 21 unbeaten tiebreaks in Grand Slams and claim her biggest win since returning to the Tour following the birth of daughter Shai.
After netting a backhand on match point, world number one Sabalenka took her anger out on a ball, blasting it high out of the Centre Court.
Osaka’s win left the women’s draw intriguingly poised heading into week two with no clear favourite. Next, she will face 10th seed Karolina Muchova whose win over fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova guaranteed a ninth successive first-time women’s champion at the All-England Club.
“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,” Osaka said after her first victory on Centre Court.
“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.
Osaka had struggled to find her best form since returning from maternity leave in July 2023, but a change of coach late last year seems to have helped.
Under Tomasz Wiktorowski – who previously coached Iga Swiatek – Osaka reached the 2025 US Open semi-finals before recording career-best results at Roland Garros and now here.