Naomi Osaka's DC Open run starts strong, guarantees first-ever meeting with Emma Raducanu

Naomi Osaka secured a hard-fought victory over Yulia Putintseva, setting up a highly anticipated second-round encounter with Emma Raducanu at the DC Open. The former world No. 1 survived a tough second set, where the Kazakh was two points away from taking it. The Japanese star ultimately triumphed 6-2, 7-5.

The four-time Grand Slam champion continues to show improvement, starting her hardcourt swing strongly—a surface that has brought her the best results in her career. Osaka's win guarantees a clash of Grand Slam champions, as she will face 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu, who advanced with a straight-sets win over seventh seed Marta Kostyuk.

This is undoubtedly a significant confidence booster for Osaka, whose level has been on the rise for some time. While she hasn't had much luck making deep runs in major tournaments recently, she has consistently registered wins this season, boasting a 20-10 record. She also secured a Challenger 125 title on clay courts and has guaranteed her return to the top 50 after several weeks outside it.

The former world No. 1 will face the Briton for the first time in her career. She'll be aiming for another victory, with the chance to reach the quarterfinals and climb to world No. 42 in the WTA rankings—her best ranking in the last five years.

Naomi Osaka defeats Yulia Putintseva

6-2, 7-5

First Set

Osaka got off to an ideal start with an early break, taking a 2-0 lead. However, Putintseva quickly responded with a break back, leveling the score. The Japanese player struggled with her first serve, landing only 29% in the set, though this had little impact as she still won 63% of those points. Her opponent, in contrast, had a 68% first serve percentage but won only 41% of points on her serve.

Osaka, who received a wildcard for the tournament, responded effectively with two consecutive breaks, closing out the set 6-2 after 31 minutes.

Second Set

Things improved for Putintseva in the second set. She saved a break point against her and gained confidence on her serve, winning 10 consecutive service points to keep pace with Osaka. She even secured a break in the ninth game, giving her the chance to serve for the set. However, nerves got the better of her, and Putintseva was unable to force a decider after Osaka won four consecutive points to break back and level at 5-5.

Osaka once again demonstrated superior mental fortitude in crucial moments. At 5-5, she served from 0-30 down and saved a break point to take the lead. Putintseva then had the opportunity to force a tie-break, but in the most contested game of the match, the Kazakh squandered three game points, and Osaka clinched the victory on her third match point. The 6-2, 7-5 win saw the Japanese star win an impressive 84% of points on her first serve overall.

Match Statistics Osaka vs. Putintseva

Raducanu's charm: Win over Kostyuk leads to Osaka 

The 2021 US Open champion began her DC Open campaign with a confident win, defeating seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in straight sets. Raducanu is poised to make strides on Tour in a tournament that has historically treated her well, with two previous quarterfinal appearances (2022, 2024) and her sole career doubles title, which she won with Clara Tauson in 2022.

The highly anticipated first-time encounter between the Briton and the Japanese star promises to be one of the most attractive matchups of the second round in Washington. Raducanu's victory also saw her reclaim the position of British No. 1 (live ranking No. 41), surpassing Sonay Kartal (live ranking No. 47) in a tight battle with Katie Boulter (live ranking No. 40) for the top spot in the country.

Match Statistics Kostyuk vs. Raducanu