Naomi Osaka’s breakthrough Wimbledon 2026 campaign ended with a quarterfinal loss to Karolína Muchová on Tuesday, July 7. Although her run was cut short, the former World No. 1 shared that she wished to focus on the positives after reaching the last eight at SW19 for the first time.
She, however, also revealed why her loss to Muchová was particularly difficult to process after such a promising run.
Naomi Osaka Beaten by Karolína Muchová at Wimbledon
Osaka enjoyed a grass-court swing filled with several milestones this year. Following her French Open exit to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, she put in an intense training block with her coaching team to prepare for the grass season. She started in Bad Homburg, reaching her first final on the surface. In the title clash, she was forced to retire after losing the first set against Muchová due to a foot discomfort.
The minor setback did little to slow Osaka down at Wimbledon. She reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set, defeating Elsa Jacquemot, Anastasia Gasanova, and Daria Kasatkina before avenging her earlier loss to Sabalenka en route.
Her 6-2, 7-6(2) victory over Sabalenka propelled her into the conversation as one of the title favorites. However, she was unable to replicate that performance in her rematch against Muchová on Tuesday, making the defeat a bitter pill to swallow.
“It’s hard because I played so well in my last match, and then today, I just feel like I didn’t play well at all and I didn’t have any energy. The score was pretty good for what it was,” she said in her press conference after the 7-6(4), 6-4 loss.
Osaka attributed her physical fatigue to the intensity of her grass-court schedule. “I could feel it coming because I’ve played way more matches than I usually do before a Slam. I just wanted to try that to see the rhythm, and obviously it worked out well, but I think I probably won’t do that again.”
Her serve, which played a crucial role in her victory over the World No. 1, dipped during her quarterfinal clash. Explaining what went wrong, she said, “It just felt like my legs were completely gone, and then I felt like I couldn’t really push off anymore. It was a really weird feeling like my legs were disconnected from the upper half of my body.”
“I’m pushing 30, so I guess that’s what it is. I’m just joking,” she said, adding, “I really just think I need to map out my schedule better, but I live and I learn.”
MORE: Why Naomi Osaka Immediately Thanked Iga Świątek’s Former Coach After Wimbledon Win Against Sabalenka
The four-time Grand Slam champion enjoyed the support of her family, including her mother, throughout her run at SW19. Her daughter was also by her side in London, making the experience even more special. She will now look to carry the momentum into the North American hard-court swing, where she is defending runner-up points at the Canadian Open and semifinal points at the US Open.
