WASHINGTON — In a thrilling encounter at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., Emma Raducanu showcased her talent by outplaying Naomi Osaka, conquering the match between former U.S. Open champions with a score of 6-4, 6-2.
Raducanu, the first qualifier to seize a Grand Slam title in history—achieved during her stunning victory in New York in 2021—successfully defended against all two break points she encountered, exploiting her opportunities to break Osaka’s powerful serve three times.
Osaka struggled with her game, committing seven double-faults. She is a two-time champion at both the U.S. Open and the Australian Open.
Currently ranked 46th, Raducanu will next take on Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals, following Sakkari’s victory over No. 2 seed Emma Navarro on Wednesday.
Venus Williams, the legendary seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, is making her return to the tour at the age of 45, with a match against Magdalena Frech scheduled for later tonight.
In Thursday’s men’s matches at the hard-court tournament in Washington, Daniil Medvedev (No. 8 seed) and Brandon Nakashima (No. 14 seed) both celebrated victories.
