World number one Aryna Sabalenka boosted up her pursuit for a debut Wimbledon crown with an excellent straight-sets victory over Jelena Ostapenko on Friday.
The Belarusian defeated Ostapenko of Latvia 6-4, 6-4 to secure a matchup with fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the round of sixteen.
While former world number one Osaka has made an impression thus far by making it to the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time, Sabalenka will be vying for a 15th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal.
“Another aggressive player. Another very powerful match. I’m ready to fight and do whatever it takes to get through,” AFP quoted Sabalenka as saying on facing Osaka, against whom she holds a 3-1 winning record.
In her last three trips to Wimbledon, Sabalenka has lost in the semifinals each time.
At the French Open last month, the 28-year-old faced Osaka at the same stage and defeated her in straight sets before unexpectedly losing to Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
Ostapenko, a former Roland Garros champion, put up some fight in the second set but never posed a real threat to Sabalenka.
