A rivalry renewed - Sabalenka and Osaka meet again

Image source, Reuters Image caption, Aryna Sabalenka (left) and Naomi Osaka will meet for the fourth time in 2026 By Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist at Wimbledon Published 6 minutes ago There are a lot of similarities between Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka. Both have won four Grand Slam titles, been top of the world rankings and built their legacies on hard courts. The big-hitting pair broke through on the WTA Tour around the same time, but their journeys have been very different. While one peaked early, the other had a longer wait for success. After they first met at the 2018 US Open - with Osaka going on to win her maiden major - they did not face each other again until 2026. The pair have now faced each other three times in the space of three months - and on Sunday they will go head-to-head again in a blockbuster fourth-round clash at Wimbledon. GB's Fery fights off Bergs and nosebleeds to reach fourth round Published 8 hours ago Eala wins 'for all the girls with ruffled socks and chubby cheeks' Published 8 hours ago 'I had the feeling she would win a Slam' Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Osaka broke down in tears after she beat Sabalenka to reach her first major quarter-final at the 2018 US Open When Sabalenka and Osaka faced each other for the first time almost eight years ago in New York, they were both 20 years old and rapidly rising up the rankings. Both players have said the fourth-round match, which Japan's Osaka won 6-3 2-6 6-4, was a turning point in their careers. "I felt like we both were kind of upcoming, [the] next generation," said top seed Sabalenka. "When she won that match, I had a feeling she is going to win a Slam." The Belarusian - who had been a break up in the deciding set - was right. Five days later, Osaka beat Serena Williams to become the first player from Japan to win a major title. In the 28 months that followed, Osaka won three more Grand Slam titles. Sabalenka claimed none. But their careers soon took different paths. Osaka briefly stepped away from tennis in 2021 to prioritise her mental health before taking 15 months of maternity leave with daughter Shai, who was born in July 2023. While Osaka was away, Sabalenka finally had her breakthrough moment, triumphing at the 2023 Australian Open for her first Grand Slam title. "Obviously [we have a] different story," Sabalenka said after her third-round win over Jelena Ostapenko. "She went through different things. I went through different things. I feel like we both were completely different players and people." 'Every time it's a battle' Osaka may have won their first meeting, but Sabalenka has come out on top in all of their matches this year. At Indian Wells in March, she claimed a 6-2 6-4 win in 80 minutes thanks to a clinical serving performance. Sabalenka hit eight aces, and no double faults, and saved the two break points she faced, ultimately going on to lift the trophy. Osaka posed more of a threat on the clay of Madrid when she dominated a first-