Osaka shocks World No. 1 Sabalenka to reach first Wimbledon quarter-final

Naomi Osaka pulled off a major upset at this year’s Wimbledon on Sunday. She beat world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) to make it to the quarter-finals for the first time in her career at the All England Club.

Osaka got her revenge for the straight-sets loss to Sabalenka in the fourth round of the French Open last month. She delivered a strong performance on Centre Court.

This win marks Osaka’s first quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon. It also highlights her impressive comeback under coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, who was Iga Swiatek’s coach.

The four-time Grand Slam champion has won all four of her matches in this tournament without losing a single set.

Osaka, seeded 14th, is gaining confidence on grass courts, which have not been her best surface in the past. She has also made headlines with her eye-catching pre-match outfits. Her designs are inspired by Japanese fashion and include a kimono-style cloak and a bomber jacket with a flowing train.

After the match, Osaka shared how special her win on Centre Court felt. "For me, this court is so special. This is the first match I’ve won on this court. It means a lot," she said.

She added, "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."

Thinking back on her earlier losses to Sabalenka this season, Osaka said, "I lost to her three times in a row. That really sucked. I wanted to have the opportunity to overturn that."

She also mentioned how her mother’s cooking has helped her perform well in the tournament. "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 said.

The two players had faced each other three times earlier this year. Sabalenka won at Indian Wells, the Madrid Open, and the French Open.

But Osaka was in control of the first set, breaking Sabalenka twice with strong baseline shots and powerful groundstrokes. Sabalenka struggled to find her rhythm and briefly left the court after losing the first set.

When they returned for the second set, Sabalenka pushed for a tie-break. But Osaka kept her cool and ended Sabalenka’s impressive streak of 21 straight Grand Slam tie-break victories.

This win also dashed Sabalenka’s hopes of reaching a 15th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final. Even though she reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in her last three appearances, she is still looking for her first final at this tournament.

Next, Osaka will face Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova for a spot in the semi-finals.