Osaka seeks to break Sabalenka spell as Wimbledon's fourth round begins

Wimbledon's fourth round commences Sunday, highlighted by a compelling showdown between women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka and former champion Naomi Osaka. This marks a significant clash, with Osaka seeking to overcome her recent struggles against the Belarusian. Sabalenka has defeated Osaka in all three of their encounters this year, including at Indian Wells, Madrid, and the French Open. Their last meeting prior to 2026 was over seven years ago, when Osaka won their first-ever match en route to her 2018 U.S. Open title. Despite the losing streak, Osaka, currently ranked world number 14, expressed confidence, particularly on grass courts. "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 stated. She believes playing on grass could be the difference-maker, offering a more stable mindset compared to clay. Sabalenka, while acknowledging Osaka's threat, remains cautious. "Always been a tricky match. She's very aggressive player... every time she plays me, she's more focused," Sabalenka commented, anticipating a high-level battle. On the men's side, the spotlight is on Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, who has defied expectations to reach the round of 16. Ranked 151st, Mochizuki's journey includes a remarkable comeback victory over 23rd seed Rafael Jodar. His aggressive style, characterized by net rushes and flat groundstrokes, has proven effective on grass. Mochizuki is set to face world number one Jannik Sinner. Sinner acknowledged Mochizuki's prowess on grass, noting his low ball trajectory and aggressive play. "Very dangerous player. I try to be as prepared as I can," Sinner said. Mochizuki himself expressed surprise at his own performance, admitting, "It's a strange feeling to play Jannik at Wimbledon, especially now this year. I was not winning much before coming here, and I don't know how I have been winning matches here." Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, despite past serving difficulties, is focusing on giving her all in her upcoming match against Belinda Bencic, rather than dwelling on serve perfection.

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She's the number one player in the world. If there is someone I had to lose to, I would pick that ranking position.