Wimbledon 2026 results: Naomi Osaka stuns Aryna Sabalenka in superb performance to reach quarter-finals
Naomi Osaka delivered a stunning upset to knock world number one Aryna Sabalenka out of Wimbledon, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time with a commanding 6-2 7-6 7-2 victory on Centre Court.
The 14th-seeded Japanese player dominated her fellow four-time Grand Slam champion throughout the match, with Sabalenka enduring her earliest exit at a Grand Slam since the 2022 French Open. The loss marks the first time in 122 matches that Sabalenka has exited a major championship in straight sets.
Osaka, who held her racquet to her head in disbelief upon clinching victory, has come a remarkable distance since struggling to return to form following her maternity leave that began in July 2023. It's been a long time since I had so much fun on the court, she said afterwards.
The 32-minute opening set saw Osaka break twice as Sabalenka's power game misfired. Though the second set proved more competitive, Osaka remained composed to break Sabalenka's remarkable streak of 21 consecutive tiebreak wins at Grand Slam level. She will now face Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova for a place in the semi-finals.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin described Osaka's display as the best we've seen Naomi Osaka since she came back. The resurgence comes after Osaka joined coach Tomasz Wiktorowski in mid-2025, and she struck 21 winners whilst winning 87 per cent of points behind her first serve.
This was their fourth meeting in three months, with Sabalenka having won the previous three encounters. Osaka acknowledged her support system after the match, saying: Shout out to the rest of my team they are the best I have so much fun with them and I learn so much from them. She also credited her mother's cooking for powering her performance. Sabalenka, meanwhile, told reporters: Now I want to go and get drunk and forget about tennis.