LONDON — Naomi Osaka delivered a stunning performance at Wimbledon on Sunday, eliminating women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round with a dominant 6-2, 7-6(2) victory on Centre Court.
The matchup carried enormous star power, with the two players combining for eight Grand Slam titles between them. Billed as one of the marquee events of Day Seven, the contest was expected to be a fierce battle — but it was Osaka, seeded 14th, who controlled the action from the start.
Sabalenka’s typically powerful game broke down badly in the opening set, which Osaka swept in just 32 minutes, leaving the top seed screaming in frustration.
The second set brought more of the back-and-forth drama the sold-out crowd had hoped to see, but when the match went to a tiebreak, Osaka kept her composure and closed it out convincingly, winning 7-2 in the breaker.
The win is considered the biggest of Osaka’s comeback since she returned to the professional tour following a maternity break in 2023.
