We’ve been waiting for years for the old Naomi Osaka to show up. It’s been five years since she sat atop tennis as the Japanese-Haitian star of the game, shifting cultures and shedding light on the different faces of the sport.
Before emerging as a dominating grass-court performer on Sunday as she knocked heavy favorite Aryna Sabalenka out of Wimbledon to set herself up for another major win, Osaka’s last major title was at the 2021 Australian Open. That year she defeated American Jennifer Brady in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, to secure her fourth Grand Slam trophy. She burst on the scene, winning the 2018 US Open, then the 2019 Australian Open, the 2020 US Open. After her 2021 win came a relationship with rapper Cordae, a baby, her battle with mental health issues, a rediscovering of life, and now what appears to be a rebirth of a legend.
Osaka’s serve was as formidable as it’s ever been in London, as she outpowered the most powerful player in women’s tennis, while recapturing the bounce and precision that elevated her to the top of the money rankings for professional women athletes.
We Have Never Seen This Grass-Court Version Of Naomi Osaka
The 6-2, 7-6(2) victory was Osaka’s biggest win since she returned to the tour after pregnancy in 2024. The new Naomi Osaka, now 28, seems to be adept at the grass game, something that was perplexing to her in previous years. Sabalenka is a three-time Wimbledon semifinalist. Osaka had never played a fourth-round match at the All England Club before.
We haven’t seen this version of Osaka. The living legend landed 70 percent of her first serves and won 22 of 23 of those points. For the match she won 33 of 38 points on her first serve, 87 percent.
In typical Sabalenka fashion she was blunt and confident even in losing. She didn’t make any excuses. Osaka turned back the clock and shocked everyone.
“I f––––– it up this year. Next year I’ll try to do better,” Sabalenka, who hadn’t lost in straight sets at a Grand Slam since 2020, said in the post-match presser.
“I was just trying to focus point by point,” Sabalenka said. “What could I do if the person is acing and hitting the lines, just going for her shots without any fear? I was the one who was just trying to find my rhythm.
“Two extremes. I was really battling myself. She was just going for it.”
Fans Have Mixed Reactions To Naomi Osaka’s Wimbledon Win Over No. 1 Sabalenka
Osaka’s win was a pleasant surprise to fans who hadn’t seen her compete so effectively against the world’s Top 10 performers in a minute. She went straight for the top spot and advances to the Quarterfinals against 10th seed Karolína Muchová. However, there were plenty of haters (most of the non-melanous persuasion) that predicted Osaka to have another mental health breakdown, or fumble away her chances before she could complete another Grand Slam win.
“Why are we all acting as if Naomi isn’t going to crash out of the tournament in the next round,” one female fan said.
“This girl is so passive aggressive she hates white people and a race baiter. I hope she doesn’t make it to the finals and Catherine has to give her the trophy she will find fault with something,” one netizen quipped.
“Hopefully delays the inevitable mental health crisis and breakdown from her,” another woman commented.
“Hope her mental health holds up. She has history of being bit fragile,” another captioned above a photo of Osaka during tougher times following COVID.
“She’s done it at last. So happy for my Naomi. Wanna see her lift the trophy and not crumble in the final like she did against Muchova in that Bad Homborg final. Let’s go Osaka!!!!” one fan said sarcastically.
“u are hyping this one win like Naomi is fixed now, but she’ll flop next round, watch. that’s why tennis stans are always annoying,” another unsupportive fan commented on X.
We are all anxious to see if Osaka can continue to play at this level. Tennis definitely needs her and it would make her haters sick to their stomachs.
