Wimbledon: Aryna Sabalenka sets up last-16 clash vs Naomi Osaka

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus returns the ball to Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in their third round women’s singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Friday, July 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

LONDON–World number one Aryna Sabalenka stepped up her bid for a maiden Wimbledon title with an impressive straight-sets victory over Jelena Ostapenko on Friday.

The Belarusian was too strong for Latvia’s Ostapenko, winning 6-4, 6-4 to book a last-16 tie against fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka on Sunday.

Sabalenka will be bidding to reach a 15th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final, but former world number one Osaka has impressed so far in reaching the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time.

“Another aggressive player. Another very powerful match. I’m ready to fight and do whatever it takes to get through,” Sabalenka said of facing Osaka, against whom she holds a 3-1 winning record.

Sabalenka has lost in the semi-finals on each of her past three visits to Wimbledon.

The 28-year-old met Osaka at the same stage at the French Open last month, winning in straight sets only to then suffer a surprise loss to Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals.

Former Roland Garros champion Ostapenko put up some resistance in the second set, but never seriously threatened Sabalenka.