LONDON — When power meets power, getting in the first blow can sometimes be the key.
In a matchup of two of the hardest hitters on tour, that was Naomi Osaka's strategy against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the most highly awaited matchup of Wimbledon so far this year.
Sabalenka had beaten Osaka in all three of their previous matches this year — including at the same stage of the French Open last month.
“On the clay courts I felt like she was pushing me back a lot. I just tried to do it to her first,” Osaka said.
The tactics worked, and Osaka outslugged Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6 (2) to reach the quarterfinals at the All England Club for the first time on Sunday.
Osaka’s pace and flat groundstrokes overwhelmed Sabalenka.
“Obviously we’re big ball strikers. It’s not like I’m going to start running around the court trying to draw an error from her. I can only focus on my strengths," Osaka said.
"I just tried to serve really well, because it’s grass. I also tried to get the upper hand in the rallies first.”
Osaka's power had an even bigger impact than usual as her balls flew through the air faster on the warmest day of the tournament so far: The temperature during the match reached 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit).
“She overpowered me,” Sabalenka said. “I felt like it was incredible level from her."
Besides Paris, Sabalenka also beat Osaka in Indian Wells, California, and Madrid this year.
“That really sucked,” Osaka said. “So I wanted to turn it (around)."
When it was over, Osaka performed a few fist pumps, let out a brief smile and then placed her racket over her head and spun around in delight to celebrate her first career win on Centre Court.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court," Osaka said. "And to do it here, it really means a lot.”
Mental health and maternity
It was Osaka’s first win over a No. 1 player since beating Ash Barty in Beijing in 2019. That was before Osaka, a former No. 1 herself, took breaks from the tour to manage her mental health in 2021 and for maternity leave that resulted in her missing all of 2023.
Osaka's daughter turned three on Thursday.
After getting routed by Iga Swiatek at the Italian Open in May, Osaka said she “shut everyone out” on her team and "literally just got on a plane back home.
“It wasn’t the most professional thing to do,” she said. “I felt really ashamed about what I did. So then after that I just told myself, ‘Hey, I’m nearing 30, I really got to enjoy the time that I have.’ Also, obviously tennis is very, very important to me, but I have a life outside of that. I have to treasure tennis in the way that I can, which is not putting too much importance on it.”
Sabalenka to ‘forget about tennis’
It's the second straight Grand Slam in which Sabalenka has failed to reach the latter stages. After a stunning meltdown against Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarterfinals last month, Sabalenka said she "just want to quit tennis."
This time, Sabalenka said she wanted to “get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape.”
Sabalenka and Osaka have each won four Grand Slam titles. All their major trophies have come on hard courts — at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.
Osaka is coming off her first grass-court final. She had to retire against Karolina Muchova in Bad Homburg, Germany, last weekend because of a foot injury.
She'll now get a rematch with Muchova, who beat 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Kimono walk-on fashion
Before the match, Osaka came out in the white kimono she’s been wearing for her walk-ons at Wimbledon — which was inspired by a character in a Quentin Tarantino movie.
Unlike at the French Open, when the designer for Osaka's walk-on outfits “was sewing things immediately after I won,” the kimono was designed in Japan, so “it’s not like (the designer) can make a brand-new thing every time.”
Instead, Osaka is using variations on the same outfit. For her past two matches, she's employed “the free-robe vibe” inspired by an anime called Bleach.
Aces and winners
Osaka saved the only two break points she faced and put 87% of her first serves in play — compared to 69% for Sabalenka.
Osaka also led 8-5 in aces and 21-15 in winners in the match, which lasted less than 1 ½ hours.
“What could I do if the person is acing and hitting the lines, just going for her shots without any fear?" Sabalenka said. "She was just going for it.
“Level-wise, today,” Sabalenka added, “I wasn’t world No. 1.”
Coco breaks through
Coco Gauff reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time by overcoming Belinda Bencic 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 just before the 11 p.m. curfew.
Gauff will next meet fellow American Jessica Pegula, who beat Iva Jovic — another American — 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Djokovic edges Federer
Earlier on Centre Court, Novak Djokovic beat 132nd-ranked qualifier Roman Safiullin 7-6 (6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 for a record 106th match victory at the All England Club.
Djokovic will next play third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1.
Top-ranked Jannik Sinner beat Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 7-6 (0), 6-3 and will next meet Jan-Lennard Struff, who advanced when Hubert Hurkacz retired while trailing 4-2 in the fifth set due to a strained abdominal muscle.
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