Wimbledon: Osaka stuns world No. 1 Sabalenka to reach maiden quarter-final
London, July 5 (IANS) Naomi Osaka produced one of the biggest upsets of Wimbledon 2026, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) on Sunday to reach her first quarter-final at the All England Club.
The former world No. 1 needed just one hour and 28 minutes to end Sabalenka’s dominance in their rivalry, claiming her first win over the Belarusian in eight years. Osaka had lost all three meetings between them in 2026 and had not beaten Sabalenka since the 2018 US Open, but she turned the tables with an aggressive and composed performance on Centre Court.
This victory marked another significant milestone in Osaka’s comeback. After already making it to the second week at all four Grand Slams earlier in the tournament, the four-time major champion has now reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final.
Osaka set the pace from the start, attacking Sabalenka’s strong baseline game and taking charge of rallies with clean strokes. She quickly took the opening set 6-2, but the second set posed a tougher challenge as Sabalenka tried to fight her way back into the match.
The Japanese star, however, stayed calm under pressure and dominated the tie-break, securing the biggest win of her season with a memorable straight-sets victory.
This defeat ended several impressive streaks for Sabalenka. The Belarusian’s run of 14 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances, which began at the 2022 US Open, came to a halt. It was also her first straight-sets loss at a Grand Slam since the 2020 US Open, highlighting the quality of Osaka’s performance.
By breaking Sabalenka’s three-match winning streak in their head-to-head meetings, Osaka has also re-established herself as a serious title contender on grass. This victory propels Osaka into her first Wimbledon quarter-final with renewed confidence as she continues her comeback on the biggest stage. The tournament is set to crown a first-time women’s singles champion at the All England Club.
–IANS
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