Naomi Osaka stunned world number one Aryna Sabalenka with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) victory on Sunday as the Japanese star moved into the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time.
Osaka avenged a straight-sets defeat against Sabalenka in the French Open last 16 in June by eliminating her fellow four-time Grand Slam champion with a superb display on Centre Court.
It is five years since Osaka lifted her most recent Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open.
Revitalised by coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, who mentored Iga Swiatek, the 28-year-old reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year and has carried that momentum into 2026.
Osaka is yet to drop a set across her opening four matches at Wimbledon.
Seeded 14th, she is finally finding her groove on grass, helped by the eye-catching outfits she arrives on court wearing.
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Her walk-on costumes have included a kimono, a bomber jacket with a long train and a cloak that looks like an open kimono.
The 28-year-old believes all the talk about her haute couture has taken the pressure off her tennis.
Once again she treated fans to a memorable outfit before delivering a tailor-made performance that left Sabalenka’s Wimbledon challenge in tatters in the last 16.
Osaka faces Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova for a place in the last four.
“For me, this court is so special. This is the first match I’ve won on this court. It means a lot,” Osaka said.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court, and to do it here really means a lot.
“I lost to her three times in a row. That really sucked. I wanted to have the opportunity to overturn that,” she added.
Home-cooking
Praising her mother’s home-cooking, who was watching from the players’ box, for inspiring her success over the last week, Osaka added, “She cooks a lot. I feel like her cooking is powering me. I would like another meal tonight. She cooks a lot of Japanese food.”
Osaka and Sabalenka had already collided three times in 2026, with the Belarusian winning on the hard courts of Indian Wells and on clay in Madrid and Roland Garros.
But the 28-year-old’s bid for a 15th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final came to an abrupt halt.
Sabalenka had lost in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits to Wimbledon and has never made the final.
The Belarusian suffered a surprise loss to Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarter-finals, and this was another painful result for a player with a history of unexpected meltdowns.
Osaka broke in the third game of the first set with a blistering backhand that fizzed past Sabalenka.
Blasting fierce ground strokes from the baseline, Osaka rattled Sabalenka to such an extent that the Belarusian let out an anguished scream after being broken for a second time.
Notorious for struggling in windy conditions, Sabalenka was completely out of rhythm and stormed off court for a break before the second set.
Sabalenka repeatedly banged the racquet against her head as Osaka took the set to a tie-break.
Sabalenka had won her last 21 tie-breaks at Grand Slams, but Osaka was unfazed, powering to victory with a flourish.
AFP
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