A mouthwatering clash is set up in the fourth round of the Indian Wells. World No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka, locks horns with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. They are both known for their fashion and exceptional ball striking on the court. Playing after almost eight years, the first seed had mixed reactions ahead of the contest. 

Osaka made a fashion statement with her leopard-inspired dress in the Californian desert. On the other hand, Sabalenka is also a huge fashion admirer and often likes to make an impression through her style. After defeating Jaqueline Cristian in the third round 6-4, 6-1, she pondered over the next round clash. 

“Well, it’ll be for sure a fashion show at the beginning. Then crazy much. She’s a great player, came back after pregnancy, incredible shape. I’ve been watching her matches, really admire her,” Sabalenka said. 

Despite playing on the tour for nearly a decade, they have only met once in their career. Osaka defeated the Belarusian in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open in a closely contested three-set match. After which, she even went on to win her first Grand Slam, taking down the mighty Serena Williams in the finals.

“I think we played only once, isn’t it? Oh, probably I’ll have a chance to get a revenge, hopefully. I would like to play her,” she added. 

The 2018 champion is coming off a tough win against Camila Osorio in the third round. The match had a lot of ebbs and flows, with each player dominating the match for a certain period of time. But eventually, Osaka’s serving masterclass (9 aces) helped her clinch the victory.

Sabalenka is a two-time finalist but has never managed to cross the line. After losing another Australian Open final against Elena Rybakina, she will be determined to win this tournament more than ever. Heading to the fourth round, even Osaka had interesting thoughts on the matchup. 

Naomi Osaka equally excited to face Aryna Sabalenka 

Naomi Osaka and Aryna Sabalenka are almost the same age, 28 and 27 years old, respectively.  But the difference is that the Japanese Player peaked in the early stages of her career, while the Belarusian peaked a little later. This difference makes the 16th seed a more experienced player than the world no. 1. 

Osaka was really looking forward to the match and had fresh memories from the 2018 US Open clash. 

“For me, it’s really exciting. I have watched her, I don’t want to say `grow over the years,’ because I think she’s only a little bit younger than me and I feel like an old person. But yeah, I have watched her grow over the years,” Osaka stated.

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“Just because I felt like in that tournament, that was the hardest match for me. I remember thinking, like, we’re both going to get very far. So, yeah, obviously I was right. It was definitely a really difficult match. It’s really cool to see how far we both have come,” she added.

After winning four Grand Slams between 2018 and 2021, the former World No. 1 took a mental break from the sport after the 2021 US Open for four months. Then, in 2023, she took pregnancy leave and gave birth to her daughter, Shai. In between all of this, she lost her rhythm, but since 2025, she has shown a lot of promise and has given glimpses of her powerful baseline game, which once dominated the sport. 

When Osaka was managing through her personal life, Sabalenka quickly rose in the rankings and won her first-ever Grand Slam in 2023 at Melbourne Park. In just two years, she won four Grand Slams and claimed the coveted No. 1 spot in the world. 

No one hits the ball harder than these two players on the tour. It will be an exhibition of power and style on the centre court, with the crowd thoroughly enjoying the entertainment. Who will take the win this time?