Wimbledon 2026: Naomi Osaka stuns Aryna Sabalenka, reaches maiden quarter-finals
What's the story
Naomi Osaka has made her way into the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time in her career. The Japanese tennis star achieved this feat by defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, a result that ended Sabalenka's impressive run of 14 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals reached. The match lasted for one hour and 28 minutes, with Osaka winning 6-2, 7-6(2).
Streaks broken
Osaka's 1st win over Sabalenka since 2018 US Open
Osaka's win over Sabalenka not only marked her first victory against the Belarusian this year but also her first in eight years, dating back to the 2018 US Open. The win ended Sabalenka's three-match winning streak in their head-to-head encounters on the WTA Tour. It was also Osaka's first straight-sets win over Sabalenka since their 2016 Australian Open meeting. From 5 meetings, Sabalenka is 3-2 over Osaka. Before this clash, they duo met at 2026 Roland Garros, where Sabalenka prevailed.
Information
Unwanted record for Sabalenka
As per Opta, Sabalenka lost her first Grand Slam tie break since the French Open 2023 (vs Karolina Muchova) interrupting the longest winning streak in tie breaks in the Open Era, males included (21 in a row).
Osaka
Osaka makes these records
Osaka is the first player to defeat Sabalenka in straight sets in a Major since Victoria Azarenka (US Open 2020). Only Martina Navratilova (143) played more consecutive women's singles Grand Slam matches than Sabalenka (121) with one set won in the Open Era. Osaka became the Asian-born player with the most wins against the reigning World No. 1 since the WTA Rankings were published in 1975 (three).
Numbers
78-27 win-loss record at Grand Slams for Osaka
As mentioned, Osaka has reached her maiden quarter-finals at Wimbledon. She now owns a win-loss record of 11-5 here at this event. Overall at Grand Slams, Osaka has raced to a 78-27 win-loss record. Notably, Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam winner, having last lifted the Australian Open title in 2021. She holds a 4-0 win-loss record at Slam finals.
Numbers (2)
19-7 win-loss record for Sabalenka at Wimbledon
Sabalenka is still waiting for her maiden Wimbledon honor. She is a three-time semi-finalist here. She now owns a 19-7 win-loss record from 26 Wimbledon matches. Overall at Grand Slams, Sabalenka has a win-loss record of 113-29. She is a four-time Grand Slam winner and an 8-time finalist, ending as a runner-up four times.