SABALENKA LOSES TO OSAKA AT WIMBLEDON, MAKES DRINKING COMMENT

Naomi Osaka defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) in the round-of-16 at Wimbledon on Sunday. The victory marked Osaka's first win over the world No. 1 in eight years and sent her through to the quarter-finals. Sabalenka, the top seed, was broken in the opening set and lost the second set in a tiebreak. The straight-sets result ended Osaka's three-match losing streak against Sabalenka this year.

During her post-match press conference, Sabalenka addressed her performance relative to her ranking. When asked whether she felt like the world No. 1 player, she stated she had held that ranking yesterday but did not perform at that level on the day. She told reporters: "I just want to go get completely drunk, forget about tennis, and try to get in better shape." The comment drew immediate reaction on social media from tennis followers. Osaka's win also came after Sabalenka had defeated her three times earlier in 2026.

Osaka's victory at Centre Court held particular significance for the Japanese player, marking her first-ever win at that court. The two-time US Open champion had struggled against Sabalenka in their head-to-head record. Sabalenka is a two-time US Open winner. The result represented a notable upset given Sabalenka's ranking and their recent competitive history.