London, Jul 6 (IANS): World No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced to his fifth consecutive Wimbledon quarterfinal after defeating Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3, 7-6(0), 6-3. Sinner became only the 11th man in the Open Era to achieve this feat at the grass-court major, joining Novak Djokovic as the second active player with such consistency.
Mochizuki initially tested the Italian, earning the first break point and frustrating Sinner with long rallies and a crafty backhand. However, Sinner’s resilience paid off, especially after the roof closure, which allowed him to reset and adopt a more aggressive approach. Mochizuki faltered in the second-set tie-break, and from there, Sinner closed out the match with authority.
Paolini ends Eala’s dream run in 3-setter
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini overcame a spirited challenge from Filipino trailblazer Alexandra Eala with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory in the Ladies’ Singles fourth round. The 13th seed, who had been uncertain to compete due to a foot injury, booked her place in the quarterfinals after a tense battle on Centre Court.
Eala, the first Filipino to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam, impressed with fearless shot-making and determination. After upsetting defending champion Iga Swiatek in the previous round, she rallied to take the second set, thrilling fans both in London and back home, where thousands gathered at the PhilSports Arena in Manila to watch.
Despite Paolini’s unforced errors in the decider, her experience proved decisive. She broke serve at 5-3 and sealed victory when Eala sent a return wide. Paolini, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, now faces Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals. Kostyuk advanced with a straight-sets win over American Ashlyn Krueger, 6-4, 6-4, in one hour and 23 minutes.
Osaka stuns World No. 1 Sabalenka to reach maiden QF
Former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka produced one of the biggest shocks of Wimbledon 2026, defeating top seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) to reach her first-ever quarterfinal at the All England Club. The Japanese star needed just 88 minutes to end Sabalenka’s dominance, claiming her first victory over the Belarusian in eight years.
Osaka, who had lost all three encounters with Sabalenka earlier in 2026, turned the tables with aggressive baseline play and composed shot-making. She raced through the first set and held firm in the second, dominating the tie-break to secure a straight-sets win.
The defeat ended Sabalenka’s streak of 14 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances since the 2022 US Open and marked her first straight-sets loss at a major since 2020. Osaka’s triumph also broke Sabalenka’s three-match winning run in their rivalry, re-establishing Osaka as a serious contender on grass.
This victory adds another milestone to Osaka’s comeback season, having already reached the second week at all four Grand Slams. With Sabalenka out, Wimbledon 2026 is set to crown a first-time women’s singles champion, and Osaka’s resurgence positions her firmly among the favourites.
