Emma Raducanu continues summer surge with high-quality DC Open win vs. Naomi Osaka

WASHINGTON, DC—Four years after her out-of-nowhere run to the 2021 US Open title, Emma Raducanu at least appears poised to do damage in Flushing Meadows again, winning a comprehensive 6-4, 6-2 third round against Naomi Osaka at the Mubadala Citi DC Open.

The former world No. 10 has been on a steady climb back up the rankings after injuries halted her progress following her initial Grand Slam breakthroug. Still just 22 years old, she's backing up a strong performance at Wimbledon with an equally impressive result to kick off the North American summer hard-court swing.

“I'm really pleased with how I'm tracking, how I'm building,” she told me after the 81-minute victory on Thursday. “My goal, it's kind of gone away from result-orientated goals and just enjoying each day and trying to bank as many good ones as possible in a row and not let a bad day kind of creep in, or if a bad morning session, like trying to regain it straightaway.”

Raducanu began the year ranked No. 60 and the Brit is on course to cut that ranking in half by New York, reaching her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal on hard courts at the Miami Open and a fourth round on clay at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

At Wimbledon, she put on a command performance against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, losing in two close sets but turning heads with her resilience and ability to counter Sabalenka’s relentless power.

That ability came in handy in her first meeting with Osaka, one of the biggest hitters on the Hologic WTA tour. In the midst of a comeback from maternity leave, Osaka has struggled to match the heights she achieved before giving birth to daughter Shai in 2023, but the former world No. 1 has shown flashes of her four-time major-winning form throughout the season. She reached the third round of Wimbledon for the first time since 2018 and kept things close with Raducanu throughout the highly-anticipated Stadium Court clash.

“Naomi[‘s power] is pure speed, which is very difficult to deal with, especially on these courts where it's very lively,” Raducanu said in her post-match press conference. “Yeah, I think it was extremely important to start the point well on my serve. And then when she lands her first serve, it's very difficult to do anything, but the second-serve opportunities that I was getting, I was happy with the second set how I started finding a better rhythm on it.”

For her part, Osaka was optimistic in press, speaking positively about her form despite the defeat.

“Honestly, I didn't think it was that bad,” she said. “I just think, you know, obviously my serve could have been better, but weirdly kind of okay with how I played.”

Raducanu, who is also in the DC doubles draw with 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, was naturally more effusive, having taken another step towards solidifying herself towards the top of women’s tennis after numerous near-misses and false starts.

I feel pretty calm, because I know regardless of the result I'm doing the right things, and I'm banking so many good days in a row and trying to keep a streak going. It's working really well. It takes a bit of pressure off the immediate result in the matches. Emma Raducanu

“I think when I watch myself now, I really like how I look on the court,” she said, adding with a laugh, “Not in like a narcissistic way! I mean in terms of energy, and I think I feel quite upbeat. The pink outfit is pretty cute as well.

“I think it's more I look composed on the court. I feel composed. I think that's a product of just the amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes that maybe people don't see. I love that, I love banking it in, doing everything in the shadows.

“I feel pretty calm, because I know regardless of the result I'm doing the right things, and I'm banking so many good days in a row and trying to keep a streak going. It's working really well. It takes a bit of pressure off the immediate result in the matches.”

Reflecting on her signature run, one that improbably came out of qualifying and took 10 matches to achieve, Raducanu sounds readier than ever to take on all that comes with a top-tier result—a testament to the work to her team, which again includes Mark Petchey. It was Petchey who helped lead Raducanu to her US Open victory back in 2021.

“Results are so fleeting. Even if you win the US Open, you're great for about a few days, and then straight back to it, straight back to work,” she told me.

“Yeah, it's such an unforgiving schedule that there is a tournament every single week. Even if you win a Grand Slam and you lose, you know, because you're tired the next week, you still feel bad because you lost.

“Yeah, it's weird, but now that's just my goal, to keep putting these good days of work in and keep collecting them. I have done a really good job of that.”

Raducanu will plan for another good day in the quarterfinals, where she will face resurgent former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari. Sakkari edged past No. 2 seed Emma Navarro in the third round on Wednesday.