Naomi Osaka advanced to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon for the first time after defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a straight-sets match on Monday. The 14th seed from Japan won 6-2, 7-6 in a contest between four-time Grand Slam champions, handing Sabalenka her first straight-sets loss at a Major tournament in six years.

Osaka, 28, recorded 21 winners throughout the match and sealed the victory with an aggressive return on her second match point that Sabalenka was unable to reach. The win marked Osaka’s first success on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, a milestone she described as especially meaningful. “It was really fun, and this court is so special,” she said. “This is the first match I’ve won on this court. It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun on the court, and to do it here, it really means a lot.”

Prior to this match, Osaka had not defeated Sabalenka since their initial meeting eight years ago in the fourth round of the US Open, where Osaka went on to claim the title. The two had only recently resumed their rivalry this year, with Osaka acknowledging that she had lost three consecutive matches to the Belarusian. “I lost to her three times in a row, so that really sucked. I wanted to turn it over and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to do that,” Osaka said.

Sabalenka expressed disappointment after the loss, which marked her earliest exit from a Grand Slam event in four years. The world No. 1 admitted that Osaka’s performance was exceptional and attributed the defeat to being outplayed. “I’m not happy with the way I played, but she overpowered me. It was an incredible level from her,” Sabalenka said. “I didn’t play my best, and she played probably her best. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes you can go out there and do everything you can and still lose the match.”