Naomi Osaka is having a tough time. After arriving at Wimbledon, she started the year strong by reaching the final of the WTA 250 Auckland. Unfortunately, an abdominal injury forced her to retire early. A bright spot came in early May when she won the WTA 125 title at L’Open 35 de Saint Malo. This was her first championship in four years. Despite this win, her Grand Slam run before Wimbledon was rocky. She reached the third round of the Australian Open but had to retire due to injury. Then came a first-round exit at the French Open, where she struggled on clay. The grass courts at SW19 weren’t any kinder!
On Friday, the four-time Grand Slam champ faced a tough test from Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the third round. The 27-year-old took the first set on Court Two. But Pavlyuchenkova battled back, winning 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. It’s a hard pill to swallow for the tennis mom who’s been working hard to regain her form since returning to the tour in 2024.
Later, tennis journalist Bastien Fachan shared his thoughts on X: “One of the greatest anomalies in tennis remains: Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is still yet to reach the second week of a Grand Slam outside of hard courts.” But is that really true?
One of the greatest anomalies in tennis remains:
Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam champion, is still yet to reach the second week of a Grand Slam outside of hard courts
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) July 4, 2025
Maybe it is. Naomi Osaka has always found Wimbledon her toughest Grand Slam. Unlike her multiple hard-court titles, she’s only reached the third round here three times (2017, 2018, and now 2025). She’s never gone further. It’s a recurring hurdle. One fan even wrote on X, “She finds a way to lose.” Ouch!
After winning her first two matches in straight sets, hope flickered. But Pavlyuchenkova ended her run in a three-set thriller. Now, fans can’t help but feel the sting of watching a four-time Grand Slam champ struggle to break through at the majors.
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