Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova rallied to reach the Round of 16 at Wimbledon on Friday with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win against Japan’s Naomi Osaka.
Pavlyuchenkova raced to 3-0 leads in each of the last two sets and held off the four-time Grand Slam winner in two hours and three minutes.
Osaka struck 15 aces but saved only three of eight break points. It was her fourth consecutive loss in matches that went to three sets.
“I have nothing positive to say about myself,” Osaka said after the match. “I’m just going to be a negative human being today. I’m so sorry. I have nothing positive to say about myself, which is something I’m working on.”
Osaka finished with more winners (33-31) and fewer unforced errors (35-27).
“It’s not like I can really even be mad at myself,” Osaka said. “I was thinking about the break points that I had. She hit some really good serves. Then she hit a backhand. I can’t really do that much about it.”
Pavlyuchenkova, 34, reached her first grass-court semifinal last week at Eastbourne and is attempting to reach the quarterfinals at a major for the 10th time. Standing in her way is home hopeful Sonay Kartal, who came from 4-1 down in the first set to defeat French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4, 6-2.
Germany’s Laura Siegemund knocked out No. 6 seed Madison Keys 6-3, 6-3 in just 94 minutes.
Keys won just one of the 19 points on her second serve and Siegemund converted five of 13 break chances. Keys finished with 31 unforced errors and 16 winners, compared to 11 unforced errors and 19 winners for Siegemund.
Siegemund, 37, made it past the third round for the first time at Wimbledon.
“I only play for myself. I don’t feel like I need to prove anything anymore,” Siegemund said during her on-court interview. “It’s important to remember the core of why you are doing this. … I’m playing for me, and I don’t feel pressure this way.”
Siegemund’s next opponent will be Argentina’s Solana Sierra, who defeated Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 7-5, 1-6, 6-1. Sierra became the first lucky loser to reach the fourth round in the women’s singles at Wimbledon in the Open era (since 1968).
Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus moved on to the Round of 16 with a 7-6 (8), 6-4 victory over local favorite Emma Raducanu of Great Britain.
Sabalenka was pushed hard in the first set before eventually winning in a tiebreaker. She then trailed 4-1 in the second set before winning the final five games of the match.
“It was a battle,” Sabalenka said. “She really pushed me to the limit today. I’m super happy with the win.”
With Keys’ loss on Friday, Sabalenka is the only top-six seed remaining in the women’s draw.
“It definitely gives me a lot of energy and good feeling that I was under pressure, it was a great match, it was a great battle, and I was able to get the win,” Sabalenka said. “That’s why I love sport. It’s all about challenging yourself. When you go through tough challenges and you get the win, it’s the best feeling.”
Sabalenka will next face No. 24 Elise Mertens of Belgium. Mertens saved 5 of 6 break points during a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
Sabalenka and Mertens are former doubles partners and won the 2019 U.S. Open and 2021 Australian Open together. Sabalenka has won their past nine singles matchups and is 10-2 overall.
No. 13 seed Amanda Anisimova overcame eight double faults and held off Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
No. 30 Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic eliminated Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6 (6), 7-5.
–Field Level Media
