admin Naomi Osaka began her Wimbledon week wearing a kimono-style walk-on outfit inspired by her favourite character from the Quentin Tarantino movie ‘Kill Bill’ and she ended it by taking out top seed Aryna Sabalenka in brutal fashion.
The Japanese 14th seed produced the kind of tennis that took her to four Grand Slam titles as she blazed to a 6-2 7-6(2) win to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, with Sabalenka’s demise adding to the carnage in the women’s draw.
Osaka’s victory, following third-round defeats for defending champion Iga Swiatek and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina, means the top three seeds are all out. With Barbora Krejcikova losing to fellow Czech Karolina Muchova in the fourth round on Sunday, a ninth successive first-time Wimbledon winner is guaranteed.
Showdown between power merchants
There was no doubt about which match had top-billing on a warm and sunny Day Seven at the All England Club — a showdown between power merchants Sabalenka and Osaka, two 28-year-olds with four Grand Slams apiece, all on hard courts.
Aryna Sabalenka reacts as she plays against Naomi Osaka. AFP
After Osaka beat Sabalenka en route to winning the 2018 U.S. Open title, they did not meet again for almost eight years. When they finally did cross paths again, Sabalenka beat her Japanese rival three times this season including at the French Open.
But the tables were turned emphatically as a serene Osaka produced a display of sustained power and accuracy to leave Sabalenka screaming in frustration on Centre Court.
The expected fireworks failed to materialise though as Osaka dominated a misfiring Sabalenka — claiming her biggest win since returning from maternity leave in 2024.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court. To do it here, it really means a lot. I lost to her like three times in a row, so that really sucked.
“So I wanted to turn it over.”
Asked later about her slightly ‘toned-down’ outfit for her entrance on Centre Court, Osaka said: “I actually really wanted to focus on the match. So that was me being very tame.
Naomi Osaka (left) is congratulated by Aryna Sabalenka. AFP
“I kind of want to focus on my tennis now, so I might dial back a little bit.”
For Sabalenka it was another bitter Wimbledon disappointment after her three successive semi-final defeats and she belted a ball over the roof after the final point.
“Now I want to go and get drunk and forget about tennis,” Sabalenka told reporters minutes after storming off court.
Next up for Osaka is 10th seed Muchova who beat 2024 champion Krejcikova 7-5 5-7 6-3 in a tight battle.
Five American women reached the last 16, the most since 2002 and two of them met on Court One where fourth seed Jessica Pegula’s experience paid dividends as she gave 18-year-old Iva Jovic a lesson in match management in a 4-6 6-3 6-1 victory.
Pegula, who has matched her best Wimbledon run, will face another American in the next round after seventh seed Coco Gauff battled past Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic 4-6 6-3 6-4 two minutes short of Wimbledon’s 11 p.m. curfew.
Reuters
