I just want to get drunk, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka says, after Wimbledon exit

LONDON — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka admitted she was deeply disappointed after her bid for a first Wimbledon title ended with a fourth-round defeat to Naomi Osaka on Sunday.

Osaka, the tournament's 14th seed, delivered an impressive performance to defeat Sabalenka 6-2, 7-6(2) on Centre Court, advancing to the quarterfinals. Despite a stronger showing in the second set, Sabalenka struggled to match the pace and consistency of Osaka's powerful groundstrokes throughout the match.

The Belarusian showed visible frustration during the contest, reacting emotionally as the match slipped away. Following the loss, she acknowledged that her performance fell short of her usual standards while praising Osaka for playing at a high level.

Sabalenka said she handled the defeat better than she did after last year's Wimbledon semifinal loss but admitted she simply was not at her best. She said Osaka grew stronger as the match progressed while her own level continued to decline.

The loss adds to a difficult season in Grand Slam tournaments for Sabalenka. She finished runner-up at the Australian Open and was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the French Open after letting the deciding set slip away. Although she is expected to remain World No. 1 after Wimbledon, Sabalenka said her ranking was the last thing on her mind following the defeat.

Instead, she said her focus will be on taking time to recover before preparing for the next major tournament. Sabalenka expressed confidence that she would return stronger, saying she is ready to rebuild and work toward future success.

The defeat marked Sabalenka's first straight-sets loss in a Grand Slam tournament in six years. -Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters