Published On: Thu, Jul 24th, 2025

Emma Raducanu to reclaim British No 1 spot after beating Naomi Osaka in Washington

Emma Raducanu celebrates after beating Naomi Osaka at the Mubadala Citi DC Open
Emma Raducanu wasted little time in beating Naomi Osaka – Getty Images/Scott Taetsch

Emma Raducanu reclaimed the British No 1 title with a powerful straight-sets win over four-time major winner Naomi Osaka at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.

Opening her account in the US swing of the tour, Raducanu impressed in her first tournament since the third-round defeat by Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon; first knocking out the seventh seed Marta Kostyuk, then overcoming Osaka with an impressive serving performance.

It was a straightforward 6-4, 6-2 win for Raducanu in her first meeting with Osaka on the professional tour, an odd coincidence for players whose trajectories have often been compared.

In 2021 it would have been correct, if a touch presumptuous, to suggest that Raducanu and Osaka were on similar paths at a similar stage in their careers. Raducanu was then a teenage sensation ranked 150th in the world who had just lifted the US Open trophy as a qualifier without dropping a set, and immediately catapulted into the top rankings.

Osaka had similarly leapt into the spotlight when she won her first major in 2018, aged 20, and won the Australian Open the same season Raducanu won in New York. What followed after 2021 was not straightforward for either player. Raducanu battled against injury, undergoing surgery on both her wrists, missing most of the 2023 season. Whereas Osaka took time away from the game for her mental health and then spent a further year absent on maternity leave.

Naomi Osaka plays a forehand during her match against Emma Raducanu in Washington
Osaka struggled to get going in the first-time meeting between the pair – Getty Images/Scott Taetsch

Ahead of their meeting in Washington DC, the pair were ranked remarkably evenly, with Raducanu sitting just behind fellow British player Katie Boulter in 41st in the world, and Osaka just a few places below in 49th. Although after the conclusion of the match, Raducanu had climbed two places above her compatriot and brief doubles partner Boulter in 39th.

In the quarter-finals Raducanu will come up against tricky opponent Maria Sakkari, who herself knocked out the tournament’s second seed, Emma Navarro. But should she progress it would be a significant boost to her goal to secure a coveted seeded position ahead of the US Open – with only the top 32 players in the draw claiming one.

Against former world No 1 Osaka, 22-year-old Raducanu came out firing from the outset with impressive serving, all while using her trademark attacking style to deliver winners from the baseline.

The contest was poised at 2-2 in the opener, when Raducanu broke for the first time in the match before going on to hold in the next game.

Clinical serving

Raducanu was clinical with her serve, and looked more in tune on that account than she had in the opening round against Kostyuk when both players struggled in their service games.

It was not until she was serving for the first set, that Raducanu faltered for the first time in the match, finding herself 15-30 down then letting out a big yell and fist pump when her serve down the middle could not be returned.

As she went on to take the opening set, Osaka was left to contemplate what could have been after producing five double faults. The difference in serve proved the difference in the opener, with Osaka landing just under 40 per cent of her first serves, compared to more than 60 per cent for Raducanu.

Emma Raducanu serves during her second-round match against Naomi Osaka in Washington
Raducanu landed 68 per cent of her first serves en route to victory – Getty Images/Scott Taetsch

In the second set, Raducanu continued where she had left off in the first, hitting straight out of the middle while on the run with great depth and forcing Osaka into mistakes.

“It was extremely important,” Raducanu said when asked about her decision to not drop the speed too dramatically on her second serves. “Because if you float the second she’s going to crunch it and I’ll be behind in the point. So I have to trust my abilities on the second serve and I went for it and just the double fault in the last service game, so pretty pleased with that.

“I think it was a really difficult match. Before I went on court I knew I was going to have to play well.”

In the second it was not until she was facing a 5-1 deficit that Osaka began to fight back, firstly holding then setting up her first break points of the match, but with her third match point, Raducanu ensured her journey in the United States capital continues.

07:55 PM BST

‘I knew I was going to have to manage my own service games’

07:30 PM BST

Raducanu wins 6-4, 6-2

Raducanu, serving for the match, starts with a double fault. The Briton puts things right in the next point with a forehand winner.

Osaka, swinging from the hip, finds a lovely angled backhand to go 15-30 ahead.

Raducanu hangs with the Japanese in next point and draws an error to level up at 30-30.

Good first delivery brings up match point number two and Osaka finds a good return to save it. Raducanu then sprays a forehand wide to give Osaka break point. Raducanu saves it with a huge first serve!

Osaka nets a return to bring up a third match point for Raducanu and this time she takes it!

Very good display from the Briton!

07:22 PM BST

Raducanu 6-4, 5-2 Osaka*

Raducanu races to a 0-30 lead before Osaka gets on the board at 15-30.

An ace sees Osaka draw level at 30-30 but then the Japanese goes wide with a backhand to give Raducanu match point.

Osaka saves it with a good first serve, then finds another big first delivery to get to advantage before holding.

Over to Raducanu to serve the match out after the sitdown.

07:18 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-4, 5-1 Osaka

Osaka strikes first but is unable follow up as forehand sails wide.

Raducanu sneaks ahead after a good first serve, then gets to 40-15 with a confident forehand down the line.

Osaka, not finished yet, comes up with a lovely cross-court forehand winner. 40-30. More aggressive play from Osaka sees the Japanese get to deuce but Raducanu is able to close out the game.

Very good hold from the Briton who is just a game away now.

07:11 PM BST

Raducanu 6-4, 4-1 Osaka*

Some good hustling from the back of the court sees Raducanu go ahead before Osaka throws down a big first serve to level things up.

The Japanese follows up with an ace to go 30-15, before double-faulting again. 30-30. Another double fault gives Raducanu break point.

And the Briton takes it! Raducanu is just two games away from getting the job done!

07:07 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-4, 3-1 Osaka

Raducanu wins the opening point as Osaka nets a forehand. Some good baseline play sees Osaka get to 15-15 before another good first serve from Raducanu causes the Japanese to go long with the return.

Osaka then sweeps a backhand winner, cross-court to get to 30-30, then wrong foots Raducanu to sneak 30-40 ahead. Raducanu saves break point as Osaka goes wide with a forehand on the run. Then gets to advantage after another good first serve jams up Osaka.

The Briton holds.

07:01 PM BST

Raducanu 6-4, 2-1 Osaka*

Osaka starts the game well before seeing a forehand go wide which brings Raducanu back in the game at 15-15.

The Japanese then forces the issue in the next point before another aggressive approach sees her move to 40-15. 

And the Japanese holds to get on the board in set two.

06:57 PM BST

Raducanu* 6-4, 2-0 Osaka

Raducanu, looking to consolidate the early break, gets the better of Osaka in a few baseline exchanges before the Japanese crushes a trademark forehand down the line.

Raducanu is able to hold though, as an Osaka groundstroke flies long.

06:53 PM BST

Second set: Raducanu 6-4, 1-0 Osaka*

Osaka falls 0-30 behind before getting on the board at 15-30.

Raducanu then takes the next two points and breaks first at the start of this second set.

06:50 PM BST

Raducanu just had the edge

In the end, the first set almost came down to a battle of the serves, with Naomi Osaka’s five double faults the standout difference between them.

Emma Raducanu also landed over 60 per cent of her first serves, compared to under 40 per cent from Osaka.

Tennis can come down to small margins, and in that opening set, Raducanu just had the edge.

06:47 PM BST

Raducanu wins the first set 6-4

Raducanu gets things started with an ace then loses the next two points as Osaka ramps up the pressure on the Briton’s serve.

A big first serve gets Raducanu to 30-30.

Raducanu holds and secures the first set 6-4!

06:43 PM BST

Raducanu 5-4 Osaka*

Osaka, not having her best serving day (five double faults and counting), comes through with a hold to 15 to ask Raducanu the question.

06:39 PM BST

Raducanu* 5-3 Osaka

A combination of big serving and assured hitting from the baseline sees Raducanu get to 30-0. 

Another love-hold sees Raducanu further stamp her authority on this contest. 

06:36 PM BST

Raducanu 4-3 Osaka*

Osaka, looking to stop Raducanu in her tracks, races to 30-0 before getting the better of the Briton in an extended exchange from the baseline to go 40-0. 

Raducanu does get on the board but Osaka sees out the game to 15.

06:32 PM BST

Raducanu* 4-2 Osaka

Quick love-hold sees Raducanu consolidate the break. The Briton leads 4-2!

06:30 PM BST

Raducanu breaks first

There have been a lot of winners so far from both players as the temperature heats up on court in Washington.

The serve is going to be very important, but other than Naomi Osaka being taken to deuce in her opening service game, until the fifth game of the opener, neither player came close to taking the first break.

With two break points, Emma Raducanu was almost gifted it with the double fault, but to make it count she has to now go on and close out the set.

06:28 PM BST

Raducanu 3-2 Osaka*

A good return from Raducanu sets up the point nicely for the Briton who gets to 0-30 following an Osaka double fault.

The Japanese gets on the board after a good serve out wide catches Raducanu out. Osaka sees a forehand sail wide to give Raducanu two break points… and the Briton breaks as Osaka double faults again.

Raducanu breaks!

06:25 PM BST

Raducanu* 2-2 Osaka

Raducanu nets a forehand to fall 0-15 behind before some attacking play from the baseline sees Osaka scampering at the back of the court.

Backhand winner down the line sees Raducanu get to 30-15 but Osaka wins the next point with a deep forehand to the backhand wing to put some pressure on the Raducanu serve.

The Briton finds a big first serve to bring up game point and she takes it to level up the contest.

06:20 PM BST

Raducanu 1-2 Osaka*

Some good serving sees Osaka roll through her second service game, holding to 15 to maintain her lead in this contest.

Both players have settled quickly into proceedings.

06:18 PM BST

Raducanu* 1-1 Osaka

Raducanu comes through her first service game, holding to 15 to get on the board.

The Briton got a clap of approval from her Japanese opponent following a forehand winner.

06:14 PM BST

First set: Emma Raducanu 0-1 Naomi Osaka*

Osaka starts with a double-fault before seeing Raducanu net a forehand to go 15-15.

After some sparring from the baseline, Osaka picks her spot with a clean forehand winner to go 30-15 ahead before Raducanu hits a clean return winner to go 30-30. 

An ace gets Osaka to 40-30 and the former world No 1 eventually closes out the game.

06:07 PM BST

Coin toss

Naomi Osaka won the toss and has elected to serve.

06:03 PM BST

First-time meeting

Good evening and welcome to second-round coverage of Emma Raducanu versus Naomi Osaka at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.

Raducanu saw off seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in straight sets – 7-6, 6-4 – on Tuesday. It was the Briton’s first outing since Wimbledon, where she fell to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round.

Speaking after her victory over the Ukrainian, Raducanu said: “Extremely good win. Playing Marta first round is extremely difficult and we’ve always had some tough matches. I’m happy with the way I fought through the first set and in the second, stayed tough when I needed to.

“It’s really difficult and extremely important to keep composure and it’s such a fine balance in these conditions, where it’s so hot, between conserving energy in the heat but also not getting too flat – and that was a fine line I was dipping in and out of.”

Osaka was just as impressive against Yulia Putintseva in her Washington opener, beating the Kazakh 6-2, 7-5. The four-time grand slam champion and former world No 1 is looking forward to facing Raducanu for the first time.

“I’m always a person that loves when people are entertained,” said Osaka speaking during her post-match press conference in DC. “So I would say I’m excited about it. I’ve never played her before, so for me, that’s something really cool too. 

“Because I have seen her, I guess when she first did well at Wimbledon before she won the US Open, like moments like that, and I knew she was a good player. So I guess for our paths to finally cross is really cool.”

Maria Sakkari awaits the winner in the quarter-finals.

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