Naomi Osaka was quick to praise Iga Świątek’s former coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, after defeating Aryna Sabalenka and making the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships for the first time in her career.
Wiktorowski, who coached Świątek from 2021 to 2024, joined Osaka’s team in July 2025 and has helped spark a turnaround in fortunes for the Japanese tennis star.
Naomi Osaka Hails Iga Świątek’s Former Coach After Defeating Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon
Osaka claimed an impressive 6-2, 7-6(2) win over Sabalenka on Sunday for her first triumph against a top-10 player at a non-hardcourt tournament. This comes on the heels of her run to the final at the Bad Homburg Open, showcasing a renewed commitment to the surface.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was asked afterward what had helped prompt a turnaround in fortunes for her during the grass-court swing, considering she had never made it past the third round at Wimbledon prior to this year’s run.
“The big Polish man. Shoutout Tomasz. Shoutout to my team. My team is the best team ever. I have so much fun with them. I learn so much, and I’m so grateful that they’re on this journey with me,” Osaka said during her post-match on-court interview.
Osaka’s comments come just days after she praised Wiktorowski during her press conference after the third round.
“Tomasz was doing a lot of really weird drills that I had to come forward. I was never one that was too comfortable coming forward. But it forced me to see the speed of the ball. It was just a bunch of different training drills that made my mind more aware of the depth of the ball,” she said when asked about her understanding of the surface.
Osaka has found her groove since teaming up with Wiktorowski, reaching the final of the WTA 1000 Canadian Open, the semifinals of the US Open, the third round at the Australian Open, and the fourth round at the French Open before her quarterfinal run at Wimbledon.
The 28-year-old has lost just 7 of her 27 matches in 2026, with four of those defeats coming against Sabalenka and Świątek.
Her dramatic turnaround has coincided with Świątek’s downturn in form. The Pole, who was eliminated in the third round of the Wimbledon Championships, had appointed Wim Fissette after parting ways with Wiktorowski.
Despite her and Fissette’s victory at SW19 last year, that partnership was short-lived, and the current partnership with Francisco Roig has also not yielded instant success. With Wiktorowski, Świątek won 19 titles, including four of her six Grand Slams.
Meanwhile, Osaka will now have her sights set on a fifth Grand Slam title. She will face Karolína Muchová in the quarterfinals and will look to continue her sublime run in what promises to be another fascinating battle.
