Daria Kasatkina kept her Wimbledon run alive on Wednesday, coming from a set down to beat Janice Tjen 6-7, 6-1, 6-4 in 2hr 37min and reach the third round for the fourth straight year. The win sends her into a Friday meeting with Naomi Osaka, a matchup that has already given Kasatkina plenty to think about.
The Russian has never beaten Osaka in three outings, and she said the draw was as difficult as it looked, especially on grass. “It’s obviously a very tough draw and a very tough match, especially on grass,” Kasatkina said, adding that the lack of a previous win over Osaka leaves her with “less pressure” but no clearer path. Osaka is a four-time major winner, and her serve and attacking game make her awkward on any surface.
That is what makes Kasatkina’s latest victory matter beyond the scoreline. She arrived at Wimbledon short of form after a lean grass-court season and had already described her Monday win over Mimi Xu as a “dirty match,” so reaching the third round again gives her something sturdier to build on. Kasatkina was once a quarterfinalist here and a former world No. 8, but this part of the draw now asks her to solve an opponent she has not solved before.
Osaka, meanwhile, has been trying to settle into grass after reaching the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time this European summer and making a final in Germany on grass last week before withdrawing midway through it as a precaution after feeling pain in her foot. She has also not yet reached the last 16 at Wimbledon. For Kasatkina, Friday is not just another round; it is the first real chance to turn a familiar frustration into a result that has so far eluded her.
