Hello and welcome to coverage from Wimbledon as Naomi Osaka takes on Aryna Sabalenka.
This is one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the tournament as two grand slam champions go toe-to-toe on Centre Court.
Osaka will be hoping it will be fourth-time lucky when she faces Sabalenka, having lost all three of their meetings this year – at Indian Wells, Madrid and the French Open.
Before 2026, the pair had not crossed paths for over seven years, with Osaka winning their first-ever clash en route to her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the US Open in 2018.
“She’s the number one player in the world. If there is someone I had to lose to, I would pick that ranking position,” Osaka said. “If anything, I would say I learned from all of those matches, so hopefully I can apply [that].”
Osaka added that playing the Belarusian on grass could be the difference.
“My confidence is pretty high. For me, I know what my grass court tennis looks like. It gives me a pretty stable mindset going into the match no matter who I play,” she said after her win over Daria Kasatkina on Friday.
“I also don’t really have as many doubts as I did on clay. Maybe it would be a little bit better for me on grass.”
Sabalenka, meanwhile, is cautious about the contest despite her recent wins over Osaka.
“Always been a tricky match. She’s very aggressive player… every time she plays me, she’s more focused,” Sabalenka said. “Every time it’s a battle. Every time it’s high-level matches. Super excited to play her.”