Ruthless Osaka dispatches Sabalenka, Djokovic wins ugly

LONDON, July 5 : Naomi Osaka began her Wimbledon week wearing a kimono-style walk-on outfit inspired by her favourite character from the Quentin Tarantino movie 'Kill Bill' and she ended it by taking out top seed Aryna Sabalenka in brutal fashion.

The Japanese 14th seed produced the kind of tennis that took her to four Grand Slam titles as she blazed to a 6-2 7-6(2) win to reach the quarter-finals for the first time, with Sabalenka's demise adding to the carnage in the women's draw.

Osaka's victory, following third-round defeats for defending champion Iga Swiatek and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina, means the top three seeds are all out. With Barbora Krejcikova losing to fellow Czech Karolina Muchova in the fourth round on Sunday, a ninth successive first-time Wimbledon winner is guaranteed.

Novak Djokovic continued his challenge for a men's record-equalling eighth title although the 39-year-old said he did not enjoy his scrappy 7-6(6) 6-3 3-6 6-3 win over Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin even though it earned him yet another milestone.

"To be honest, I haven't felt really great on the court, so I was relieved to get out of it and get a win," Djokovic said after moving past Swiss great Roger Federer with a men's record 106th Wimbledon match win.

"Satisfaction and enjoyment weren't part of today's win."

It may have been ugly, but the ageless Djokovic is through to his 17th Wimbledon quarter-final and one step away from a possible semi-final showdown with defending champion and top seed Jannik Sinner who comfortably saw off Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki 6-3 7-6(0) 6-3.

For that to happen Djokovic will have to beat Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who outlasted Spain's last survivor Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-7(4)