Naomi Osaka’s wait to reach Wimbledon fourth round goes on

Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka came up short in her quest to reach round four of Wimbledon for the first time after surrendering a one-set lead against former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

The former world number one – a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open – was playing in the third round of the Championships for the first time in seven years.

She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4.

Australian Open champion Madison Keys joined the scrapheap of seeds following a shock straight-sets defeat to veteran German Laura Siegemund.

Sixth seeded American Keys became the sixth top-10 player to be dumped out of the women’s draw after going down 6-3 6-3 to 37-year-old Siegemund on Court Two.

Unseeded Osaka missed the 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament due to mental health issues, injury and pregnancy respectively.

She was visibly frustrated at being broken early in the deciding set, repeatedly banging her racket on the soft barrier at the back of Court Two.

Aided by some fine forehand winners, the 27-year-old Japanese world number 53 hit back from 3-0 down to level, only for her Russian opponent to regain the initiative and progress in two hours and six minutes.

Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2016, will take on British number three Sonay Kartal for another place in the last eight.

Osaka has struggled to make an impact at major tournaments since the birth of her daughter Shai two years ago and was knocked out of the recent French Open in the first round by Paula Badosa.

“In Paris, I was very emotional,” she said. “Now I don’t feel anything, so I guess I’d prefer to feel nothing than everything.

“It’s not like I can really even be mad at myself. I was thinking about the break points that I had. She hit some really good serves. Then she hit a backhand. I can’t really do that much about it.

“Obviously I’m still going to beat myself up a little bit.

“I’m just going to be a negative human being today. I’m so sorry. I have nothing positive to say about myself, which is something I’m working on.”

Argentinian lucky loser Solana Sierra – conqueror of Britain’s Katie Boulter in round two – continued her impressive Wimbledon debut by beating Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1.

American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova defeated Hungary’s Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3.