Osaka beats Sabalenka to reach first Wimbledon quarter-final

Naomi Osaka is into her first Wimbledon quarter-final after beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6 (7-2). The win ended Sabalenka’s run at the tournament and sent Osaka through to face Karolina Muchova for a semi-final place.

The result is a major marker in Osaka’s return to the top end of Grand Slam contention. She controlled enough of the serving and baseline exchanges to reverse the pattern of their recent meetings, after Sabalenka had won their previous three matches over the past three months.

For Sabalenka, the defeat represents her earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2022 French Open, according to the supplied source. The source also reports that it was her first straight-sets Grand Slam exit in 122 matches, a statistic worth checking against official tournament records before publication.

Osaka’s next test is Muchova, who advanced by beating 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova. Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Jessica Pegula defeated Iva Jovic and awaits either Coco Gauff or Belinda Bencic in the quarter-finals.