Naomi Osaka into Wimbledon quarterfinals after overpowering win over top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka

LONDON — When power meets power, getting in the first blow can sometimes be the key.

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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 (7-2), 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: The temperature during the match reached 82 degrees.

“She overpowered me,” Sabalenka said. “I felt like it was incredible level from her.”

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.”

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 3 on Thursday.

After getting routed by Iga Swiatek in the Italian Open round of 16 in May, Osaka said she “shut everyone out” on her team and “literally just got on a plane back home.

It’s the second straight Grand Slam in which Sabalenka has failed to reach the latter stages following a stunning meltdown against Diana Shnaider in the French Open quarterfinals.

Sabalenka and Osaka have each won four Grand Slam titles. All their major trophies have come on hard courts — at the Australian Open and US Open.

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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.

Osaka saved the only two break points she faced and put 87 percent of her first serves in play — compared with 69 percent for Sabalenka.

Osaka also led 8-5 in aces and 21-15 in winners in the match, which lasted less than 1½ 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, I wasn’t world No. 1.”

Krejcikova’s loss ensures a new women’s champion at Wimbledon for the ninth straight time.

No woman has won multiple Wimbledon titles since Serena Williams won her seventh in 2016.

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 No. 4 Jessica Pegula, who beat Iva Jovic — another fellow American — 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.

Earlier on Centre Court, Novak Djokovic beat 132nd-ranked qualifier Roman Safiullin, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, for his 106th match victory at the All England Club.

That puts Djokovic one ahead of Roger Federer atop the all-time list for men’s match wins at Wimbledon, although he still trails Martina Navratilova’s 120.

Djokovic will next play third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1.

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner beat Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, 6-3, 7-6 (7-0), 6-3, and will next meet Jan-Lennard Struff, who advanced when Hubert Hurkacz retired because of a strained abdominal muscle while trailing, 4-2, in the fifth set.

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