Naomi Osaka Upsets World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka To Reach First-Ever Wimbledon Quarterfinal

Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka

Naomi Osaka Upsets World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka To Reach First-Ever Wimbledon Quarterfinal

Naomi Osaka is headed to uncharted territory at Wimbledon.

The four-time Grand Slam champion stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday, defeating the top seed 6-2, 7-6 (2) to advance to her first-ever Wimbledon quarterfinal. Osaka dominated the opening set before holding off Sabalenka’s second-set push, closing out the match in a tiebreak on Centre Court.

The victory marks a major turnaround for Osaka, who entered the match having lost all three of her previous meetings against Sabalenka this season, including their most recent showdown at the French Open. Sunday’s win snapped that streak while handing the Belarusian star one of her biggest upsets of the year.

After the match, an emotional Osaka reflected on finally earning a win on Wimbledon’s iconic Centre Court and credited her team — and even her mother’s home cooking — for helping her stay relaxed during the tournament.

With the win, Osaka advances to face Karolína Muchová in the quarterfinals as she continues her deepest Wimbledon run of her career.