Naomi Osaka Defeats Aryna Sabalenka 6-2 7-6 to Reach Wimbledon Quarterfinals

Naomi Osaka defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) in the Wimbledon fourth round on July 5, 2026. The match took place on Centre Court at the All England Club. Osaka took a 5-1 lead in the second-set tiebreak before closing out the victory.

She advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time and has not dropped a set in her four matches at the tournament. Both players are 28 years old and four-time major champions. Sabalenka had defeated Osaka in all three prior meetings this season, including at the French Open, and entered with a 21-match tiebreak winning streak at majors.

Osaka said on court after the match: "It's been a long time since I've had so much fun on the court and to do it here it really means a lot. I mean going into this match, I lost to her like three times in a row so that really sucked. " Sabalenka said she did not play her best tennis.

ESPN reported that Osaka had never defeated a top-10 player on a non-hard-court surface before this match and had never won on Centre Court. Osaka reached the final at the preceding Bad Homburg event on grass but retired from that match due to a foot injury precaution.