Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka delivered nine aces and advanced to the round of 16 of Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia on Friday at the All England Club in London.
The World No. 1 from Belarus hit 19 winners while advancing to the second week of a Grand Slam event for the 15th straight time. She committed just six unforced errors.
“I’m really glad that mentally I was super strong and super focused today,” Sabalenka said of the 92-minute victory. “I’m happy that I closed this match in straight sets.”
Sabalenka next faces No. 14 seed Naomi Osaka of Japan. Osaka cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina of Australia.
Osaka had 25 winners against 13 unforced errors while dispatching Kasatkina in just 65 minutes to reach the round of 16 at Wimbledon for the first time.
Sabalenka is 3-1 all-time against Osaka, with all three victories coming this season.
Sabalenka won in straight sets in the round of 16 on the hard court at Indian Wells and also was victorious twice on clay. She prevailed in three sets in the round of 16 at Madrid and in two sets in the round of 16 at the French Open.
“I think every match was very tough one,” Sabalenka said of the 2026 meetings. “In every match there was, like, few key moments of each set where I think I was able to trust my game and to step in and to put pressure on her. I feel like every time she play me, she’s more focused. She’s aware of my power and aggression and everything. I feel like every time she’s handling herself really good and handling the pressure good.
“I’m ready to go out there and to fight.”
No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula sailed into the next round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. It’s just the second time Pegula has reached the round of 16.
“I thought it was really clean,” Pegula said. “Definitely the best match I’ve had since I’ve been in the tournament. So that’s always nice. Really nice weather out today. Conditions felt good. I just kind of executed my game plan really well. Came out with good energy and was able to play a solid match.”
Pegula next faces upstart American Iva Jovic. The No. 16 seed notched a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over No. 18 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia.
No. 7 Coco Gauff was challenged by fellow American Claire Liu before winning 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Gauff committed 29 errors while Liu had a whopping 57.
Gauff will next face No. 11 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Bencic outlasted No. 19 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6).
No. 10 Karolina Muchova posted a 6-2, 7-6 (1) victory over Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand. She will face 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova in an all-Czech affair. Krejcikova beat another Czech, Nikola Bartunkova 6-3, 7-5 on Friday.
–Field Level Media
