I can still win another Grand Slam, says Naomi Osaka after Wimbledon exit
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Japan's Naomi Osaka reacting during her 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 Wimbledon quarter-final loss to the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 7, 2026.
PHOTO: AFP
LONDON – Naomi Osaka insists she can still win a fifth Grand Slam title despite seeing another good opportunity pass her by with a Wimbledon quarter-final loss on July 7.
The Japanese star lifted the last of her four Major trophies at the 2021 Australian Open and raised hopes of ending that five-year wait when she downed world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the last 16 at the All England Club.
But Osaka could not back that performance up, slipping to a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 loss to Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova.
It was her latest disappointing defeat in the latter stages of a Grand Slam tournament, after losing to Amanda Anisimova in the 2025 US Open semi-finals.
“I know my results don’t show it, but whenever I play a Slam, my intention is to win,” said Osaka, who had never before got past the Wimbledon third round.
“Obviously last year I got to the semis (at the US Open). I wanted so desperately to be in the final to have that opportunity, but Amanda played insane...
“This one is a little more upsetting to me because I feel like there was so much more I could have done.
“I think maybe I should find the positive in that because I’ve gotten to the quarters and I feel like I can still improve so much as a player.
“I feel like in my head I think there’s still an opportunity to win a Slam.”
Osaka won two Australian Opens and two US Opens between 2018 and 2021 and was ranked No. 1 in the world.
She later took a break to protect her mental health and struggled to find her top form after returning to the WTA Tour.
Osaka then did not play in 2023 after giving birth to her first child.
The 28-year-old took a while to climb back up the rankings after returning, but is now closer to her best, having also reached the French Open last 16 for the first time last month.
“The tournament as a whole, it’s the furthest I’ve gotten here,” added Osaka of her Wimbledon run.
“For me, that’s a positive. Obviously I would have loved to get a lot farther. If I think about my match today, it’s hard for me to immediately think of something positive.”
“I feel like it’s hard because I played so well in my last match, then today I just feel like I didn’t play well at all and I didn’t have any energy. I mean, the score was pretty good for what it was, I guess,” she added.
Osaka will next turn her attention to the hard-court campaign, the surface on which she has won all seven of her WTA titles, including those four Slams.
Like Osaka, Wimbledon was something of a major obstacle for Coco Gauff until this month, but no more.
On July 7, after beating fellow-American Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Centre Court to reach the semi-finals for the first time, the world No. 7 hailed “a breakthrough” and talked of destiny.
Gauff, the highest seed remaining in the women’s draw, had never been beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon. It was the only Grand Slam tournament at which the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open winner had failed to reach at least the quarter-finals.
“It feels really special considering the results I’ve had of late and just especially on this surface,” said the 22-year-old, who will face Karolina Muchova for a place in the final.
“I’m able to relax a bit because, I feel regardless of how the rest of this tournament goes, I really think I’ve found a bit of a breakthrough on grass. Obviously I’m not satisfied. I want to go all the way.” AFP, REUTERS
