Sabalenka beats Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4 to set up Wimbledon clash with Osaka
Synopsis
World No. 1 Sabalenka dispatched Ostapenko in a clash of the WTA's biggest hitters, setting up a fourth-round blockbuster with Naomi Osaka — who, on the same day, reached the Wimbledon last 16 for the very first time, completing her career set of Grand Slam second weeks. The Sabalenka-Osaka showdown is shaping up as the match of the tournament.
Key Takeaways
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour 33 minutes on Centre Court on 3 July .
Sabalenka, a three-time Wimbledon semifinalist , advances to the fourth round chasing her first title at the All England Club .
14 seed) beat Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in 65 minutes , reaching the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time .
Osaka has now made the fourth round at least once at all four Grand Slams — nine appearances in total — joining 30 other active players to achieve the feat.
Osaka leads her head-to-head with Kasatkina 4-0 overall and 8-1 in sets, including their first-ever meeting on grass.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka powered past 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets on Friday, 3 July, advancing to the Wimbledon fourth round with a 6-4, 6-4 victory in 1 hour and 33 minutes on Centre Court. The win sets up a blockbuster last-16 showdown with former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who also progressed on the same day.
How Sabalenka Controlled the Contest
The match pitted two of the WTA tour's biggest hitters against each other, but it was Sabalenka who demonstrated greater versatility and tactical nuance in the power exchanges. Despite Ostapenko's trademark firecracker ball-striking, Sabalenka navigated the danger with clinical efficiency, never allowing the Latvian to build sustained momentum.
Sabalenka, a three-time Wimbledon semifinalist, has long chased a maiden title at the All England Club. This straight-sets win keeps that ambition firmly alive heading into the second week.
Osaka Completes Career Grand Slam Second-Week Set
On the other side of the draw, Naomi Osaka — the No. 14 seed — dismantled Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in just 65 minutes, reaching the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time in her career. The result means Osaka has now made the fourth round at least once at each of the four Grand Slams — a milestone she shares with just 30 other currently active players.
Osaka's fourth-round tally now stands at nine appearances across the majors: three at the Australian Open (including two titles), once at Roland Garros, once at Wimbledon, and four times at the US Open (including two titles). Notably, both Osaka and Kasatkina were born in 1997, and this was their first meeting on grass. Osaka extended her head-to-head lead to 4-0, and 8-1 in sets, having previously dominated on hard and clay courts as well.
Sabalenka's Road to the Fourth Round
Sabalenka's path to this stage was not without drama. In her third-round match earlier in the week, she was forced to recover from 5-2 down in the second set against American McCartney Kessler, saving four set points before closing out a hard-fought 6-1, 7-6(9) win on Wednesday.
Ostapenko, meanwhile, had arrived in the third round in fine form, having crushed Croatia's Antonia Ruzic 6-2, 6-0 in just 66 minutes. That display — featuring 34 winners against only 10 unforced errors — helped erase the memory of an error-riddled first-round win over Harriet Dart, in which she had committed 13 double faults. Against Sabalenka, however, Ostapenko's firepower was ultimately outmanoeuvred.
What to Watch in the Fourth Round
The Sabalenka-Osaka fourth-round encounter is among the most anticipated matches of this year's Wimbledon. Sabalenka brings grass-court pedigree and a hunger for a first title at the All England Club; Osaka, buoyed by her first-ever Wimbledon second week, carries the confidence of a four-time Grand Slam champion finding her grass-court footing. The winner will be firmly in contention for a deep run into the second week.
Point of View
But it also surfaces a real question: can Osaka — whose grass-court record has historically lagged her hard-court brilliance — sustain this level against the world's best? Sabalenka's three semifinal appearances here without a title tell their own story of near-misses. If Osaka's newly minted Wimbledon second-week confidence meets Sabalenka's unresolved title hunger, the match could define the women's draw. What mainstream coverage underplays is Ostapenko's near-miss: her 34-winner, 10-unforced-error performance against Ruzic suggested she arrived in form, making Sabalenka's clinical 6-4, 6-4 win all the more impressive.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of Sabalenka vs Ostapenko at Wimbledon 2025?
Aryna Sabalenka defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 33 minutes on Centre Court on 3 July 2025, advancing to the Wimbledon fourth round. It was a straight-sets win for the world No. 1 against the 2017 French Open champion.
Who will Sabalenka play in the Wimbledon fourth round?
Sabalenka will face former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon 2025. Osaka reached the last 16 for the first time in her career after beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 on the same day.
Has Naomi Osaka ever reached the Wimbledon fourth round before?
No — the 3 July 2025 win over Kasatkina marked the first time Osaka has reached the Wimbledon fourth round. She has now made the fourth round at least once at all four Grand Slams, a feat shared by 30 other currently active players.
What is Sabalenka's record at Wimbledon?
Aryna Sabalenka has reached the Wimbledon semifinals three times but has yet to win the title at the All England Club. Her 2025 fourth-round appearance keeps her bid for a maiden Wimbledon crown alive.
How did Ostapenko perform before facing Sabalenka?
Ostapenko was in strong form heading into the third round, having beaten Croatia's Antonia Ruzic 6-2, 6-0 in 66 minutes with 34 winners and just 10 unforced errors. However, she could not replicate that level against Sabalenka's greater tactical versatility.
