Slovakian teen Mia Pohankova eliminates Naomi Osaka in Tokyo

Seventeen minutes into the second set, Mia Pohankova served for the match against a Japanese crowd that had gathered to support their home favorite. The 18-year-old Slovakian clinched the point to end the Pan Pacific Open run of Naomi Osaka, who finished the day with a 6-3, 7-5 loss.

Pohankova entered the tournament as a wildcard after turning 18 exactly one week before the match. She advanced to the quarterfinals following a 1 hour, 35 minute contest on Thursday. The victory marks a major upset, as Osaka held the No. 7 seed and had just defeated Jasmine Paolini in the first round.

Pohankova’s resume includes the 2025 junior singles title at Wimbledon. She will next face Alycia Parks, who reached the quarterfinals by beating Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 6-1 on the same day. Parks’s win was one of several decisive results in the round of 16.

The tournament has seen multiple disruptions due to player health. Second-seeded Maja Chwalinska withdrew citing an injured left thigh. No. 4 seed Belinda Bencic also pulled out due to a right-ankle injury. These exits reshaped the draw before the quarterfinals began.

Other matches on Thursday produced further upsets. Leylah Fernandez defeated No. 5 seed Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-6 (8). In a late session, top-ranked Elena Rybakina, who represents Kazakhstan despite her Russian birth, played against Yulina Putintseva, a fellow Kazakhstani representative born in Russia.