Naomi Osaka produced a stunning performance to defeat Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 on No 1 Court, advancing to the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time in her career. The 14th seed needed just 66 minutes to dismantle her opponent, hitting 25 winners and winning 81% of points behind her first serve.
Dominant display on grass
Osaka broke Kasatkina in the second game with a thunderous backhand winner and raced to a double-break advantage, taking the opening set in just 28 minutes. The former world No 1's trademark baseline power and precision left Kasatkina, a quarter-finalist here in 2018, with no answers. Kasatkina tried slices, topspin, drop shots, and changes of pace, but none could disrupt Osaka's rhythm.
The second set briefly became competitive when Kasatkina levelled at 3-3 after recovering an early break, but Osaka elevated her game again, winning the final three games to seal victory. She served five aces to Kasatkina's one.
Best grass-court run of her career
Osaka has enjoyed the strongest grass-court swing of her career, reaching her first final on the surface in Bad Homburg before an ankle injury forced her retirement. Since arriving at Wimbledon, she has recorded straight-sets wins over Elsa Jacquemot and Anastasia Gasanova. "I've played a lot of matches on grass for the past two weeks, so I felt really confident," Osaka said. "She played really good as well, so I'm really happy with the result."
This victory sets up a match against four-time grand slam champion Aryna Sabalenka or former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko. Osaka has now reached the second week of a grand slam for just the third time since winning the 2021 Australian Open, a sign she is rediscovering her dominant form. When asked if this could be the start of something special, she smiled: "You tell me. I'm just trying to take it one day at a time, one point at a time even."
Pegula and Bencic also advance
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula eased into the fourth round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain. Pegula, yet to drop a set at this year's Championships, reached the quarter-finals in 2023. Belinda Bencic, the 11th seed and a semi-finalist last year, battled past 19th seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6), holding her nerve in the tie-break.
Osaka also offered a lighthearted glimpse into her life off court, revealing her daughter's third birthday celebrations on Thursday did not go as planned. "She was kind of bad yesterday," Osaka said. "We tried to take her to the park, but then she needed to be in time out. She blew out her candles and made a wish, so I hope her wish is to behave better."
