World No. 1 Sabalenka Upset by Osaka at Wimbledon, Exiting in Round of 16

In a major Wimbledon upset on July 5, 2026, world number one Aryna Sabalenka was defeated by Naomi Osaka 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in the round of 16. Sabalenka, who arrived at Wimbledon aiming to overcome her poor grass-court record, failed to secure her first title on the London grass despite having four Grand Slam wins overall. This loss is considered one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far, especially after the early exits of top contenders Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, which had positioned Sabalenka as the leading favorite to win.

For Osaka, the victory marks a career highlight, securing her first Wimbledon quarterfinal appearance. After returning to the tour following injuries and a career break due to the birth of her daughter, Osaka's performance on grass, traditionally a challenging surface for her, signals a significant improvement and renewed competitiveness for the title.

In other women's matches, Jessica Pegula, ranked fourth globally, advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Iga Juvic 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. Caroline Muchova, ranked ninth, also reached the quarterfinals after a hard-fought win over local favorite Barbora Krejcikova 5-7, 7-5, 6-3.