Naomi Osaka stunned by 18-year-old Mia Pohankova at Pan Pacific Open in Japan

Naomi Osaka's run at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo came to an end on Thursday after she suffered a surprise defeat against Slovakia's Mia Pohankova.The seventh-seeded Osaka, playing in front of her home fans, lost 6-3, 7-5 to the 18-year-old wildcard entrant. The match lasted one hour and 35 minutes, with Pohankova booking her place in the quarterfinals.Pohankova turned 18 just a week ago. She will next face Alycia Parks for a place in the semifinals. The Slovakian made a name for herself in junior tennis by winning the girls' singles title at Wimbledon in 2025.Osaka had entered the second round on the back of a win over Jasmine Paolini in Tokyo. However, she could not continue her run against the young Slovakian.Parks, Fernandez advanceParks also secured a place in the quarterfinals on Thursday, defeating Australia's Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 6-1.Canada's Leylah Fernandez produced another strong performance, beating fifth seed Elise Mertens 6-2, 7-6 (8) to move into the next round.In a late match, top seed Elena Rybakina was scheduled to face Yulia Putintseva. Both players were born in Russia but represent Kazakhstan.Injuries force two withdrawalsThe tournament had already lost two seeded players due to injuries.Second seed Maja Chwalinska withdrew with an injury to her left thigh, while fourth seed Belinda Bencic pulled out because of a right ankle injury.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.