Emma Raducanu back in form: Outclasses Naomi Osaka to book DC Open quarterfinal spot

Emma Raducanu defeated Naomi Osaka 6-4, 6-2 in their Round of 16 encounter at the DC Open. This was arguably the most anticipated match of the day in Washington, as it featured two Grand Slam champions who had both claimed their major titles in the United States: Osaka at the US Open in 2018 and 2020, and Raducanu in 2021.

The world No. 46 capitalized on a couple of crucial breaks to secure a decisive victory in an entertaining match that captivated the center court. Raducanu's win guarantees her a spot in the quarterfinals and a rise in the rankings to world No. 39. With this, Raducanu once again becomes the British No. 1, maintaining a close battle with Katie Boulter and Sonay Kartal for the top national ranking.

First Set: Raducanu capitalizes on Osaka's serve struggles

The first set began with Osaka struggling to hold serve, showing less conviction than Raducanu, but managing to get ahead early at 2-1. At that point, Raducanu seized the momentum. In the beginning of her second service game, she started a positive run, winning 12 of the next 14 points to take a 4-2 lead after a simple break.

Osaka's first serves were a significant challenge; despite winning an impressive 91% of points when her first serve landed, she only managed to get her first serve in on 39% of her service points. Raducanu's aggression allowed her to quickly counter and take the initiative in points. Double faults were another headache for the Japanese star, who totaled 5 double faults throughout the set.

Both players held their serve until the end of the set, and Raducanu went into the break with a 6-4 lead. The Brit had landed 4 aces, with a 68% first-serve percentage and winning 78% of those points – numbers that never gave the four-time Grand Slam champion a real chance to get back into the set.

Second Set: Raducanu's mental strength seals the win

The second set began with Osaka still struggling on serve, and Raducanu capitalized on the momentum to secure an early break and take the lead. The 2021 US Open champion went up 2-0 on her serve, and things looked increasingly difficult for Osaka. Although she increased her first-serve percentage to 55%, she still couldn't find solutions to her opponent's serve.