London, July 3 (IANS) Naomi Osaka powered into the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time on Friday, dismantling Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in just 65 minutes to complete a career milestone by reaching the second week at all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Seeded 14th, Osaka delivered one of her strongest performances on grass, dropping just four games as she secured her first appearance in the Wimbledon last 16. The victory also completed her career set of Grand Slam fourth-round appearances.

She had previously reached the second week three times at the Australian Open, winning the title twice, once at the French Open, and four times at the US Open, where she is also a two-time champion.

The 27-year-old became the 31st active player to achieve this feat and continued her dominance over Kasatkina. This match was their first meeting on grass, but it followed a familiar pattern as Osaka improved her head-to-head record to 4-0, having won eight of their nine sets across all surfaces.

The former world No. 1 was in complete control from the start. She overwhelmed Kasatkina with her trademark power and precision. Osaka lost only five points on serve in the opening set while racing to a 6-1, 3-1 lead.

Kasatkina, a former Wimbledon quarterfinalist, briefly threatened a comeback. She extended rallies and used her forehand effectively, even hitting a superb lob to level the second set at 3-3 after recovering from an early deficit.

However, Osaka quickly regained control in a crucial seventh game. She battled through three deuces before securing another break of serve to go ahead 4-3. From there, she cruised through the closing stages, finishing the match with authority in straight sets.

This convincing win highlighted Osaka’s growing confidence on grass as she continued her best-ever Wimbledon campaign. She added another significant milestone to her Grand Slam resume by reaching the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time.

–IANS

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