Naomi Osaka landed in Washington, determined to make a fresh start after her Wimbledon round-three exit. The four-time Grand Slam champ looked sharp, blasting past Yulia Putintseva in her opener. Staying upbeat before her first-ever clash with Emma Raducanu, she declared, “I won my second slam after I won my first slam.” But on Thursday, Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champ, seized the moment—storming past Osaka in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. The momentum shifted fast, yet Osaka kept her composure. She walked off the court focused, intent on turning lessons learned into a comeback worth watching.

In her post-match press conference, Naomi chose honesty and resilience: she would have “a positive attitude and try to keep moving forward.” So, what went wrong? Raducanu set the pace from the very first ball. She broke Osaka’s serve at 3-2 after a double fault from the former world No. 1. Then came a love hold, two games in front, and the first set went to Raducanu in just 38 minutes, sealed by a wayward Osaka forehand. Her opponent looked like she’d read every page of the playbook.

Naomi Osaka reflected on her game, “I’ve been working on my return a lot, and, ironically, I don’t think it was that bad today. I think she served quite well, so I guess I’ll just keep working on that. Working on my serve—I know it’s one of my biggest weapons—and today, the percentages were off, so, hopefully, improving that. And then, I guess, just baseline tennis.” But putting in the work on the practice courts didn’t quite click under the bright lights.

She admitted, “I think there were certain situations where she got one more ball back, and I was just kind of looking and waiting. So, kind of getting more accustomed to being comfortable, being aggressive.” Emma truly brought the heat. The second set mirrored the first—an early break, a saved break point at 3-1, and another Osaka double fault for 4-1. the Briton wrapped it up with a fierce first serve, saving a break point before converting her third match point.

This is another bump in the road for Naomi Osaka, who has been fighting to find her rhythm since coming back from maternity leave in January 2024. She grabbed a title at the WTA 125K in Saint-Malo, but her French Open and Wimbledon exits took the wind out of her sails.

Osaka even confessed to the press she had “nothing positive to say.” Later, she revealed a heart-to-heart with her father that hinted at thoughts of retirement. But after this match, her words spoke of fight and hope. Naomi’s spirit remains strong, ready to chase another comeback. Even Raducanu admitted—going up against her was no easy feat!

Naomi Osaka’s opponent heaps praise for her grit

Raducanu kept it real after their showdown. In her on-court interview, she said, “I thought it was going to be a really difficult match. Naomi—you know—she’s won four slams, she’s been world No. 1, and she’s won masters, and she is so dangerous. On the hard courts, I think she’s particularly comfortable, so I knew that I would have to play very well and manage my own service games, which I’m proud of how I did.” Emma’s pride was well earned as she showed no mercy, delivering a tough Citi Open exit for Naomi.

She wasn’t the only one with kind words. Naomi Osaka shared a heartfelt wish for Emma. Ahead of the match, she told Ben Rothenberg during an interview with Bounces, “I just hope she has a lot of really good people around her.” She knows the struggle well, calling out the injuries Raducanu has battled since 2021—back, ankle, wrist—relentless physical roadblocks. Naomi’s own experiences with pain give her deep empathy.

Then there’s the stalking incident at the Dubai Championships in February. Naomi was stunned watching the videos and opened up. Revealing how she feels for the 22-year-old, she added, “I think there must be a lot of pressure from—I don’t know how British media is—but they don’t really seem the kindest. I think she’s navigating it really well.”

Though Naomi Osaka’s Washington Open run has ended, she still has plenty of the season and a Grand Slam to chase. She’s already won the US Open twice—in 2018 and 2020! Could 2025 be the year she claims her third? What do you think? Drop your thoughts below!