This is set to be a true glamour tie, with former World No.1 Naomi Osaka coming up against British darling Emma Radacanu. The four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka looked impressive in her Washington opener, taking down nuggety Kazakh Yulia Putintseva 6-2, 7-5.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 500
Mubadala Citi Open (Washington Open)
William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Centre, Washington D.C. (Outdoor Hardcourt)
Selected Round of 16 Matches- 24th July
Naomi Osaka vs Emma Radacanu
Osaka had a yo-yo serving performance, firing eight aces while committing six double faults. But she was emphatic when that first-serve landed, winning a staggering 88% of her first-serve points. Osaka has shown fleeting glimpses of her old self this season. She started the year in excellent fashion, reaching her first final in nearly three years in Auckland (she withdrew injured during the championship match). Osaka reached the 3rd round of the Aussie Open before once again retiring. She took a little time to recuperate after that, returning to action during the ‘Sunshine Double’. She picked up some encouraging WTA 1000 results and won a WTA 125 title on the Saint-Malo clay. She would also go on to match her career-best Wimbledon performance with a 3rd round run at SW19.
2021 US Open champ Emma Radacanu continued her mini resurgence with a hard-fought straight-sets win over 7th seed Marta Kostyuk. Radacanu needed to hang tough against the Ukrainian, needing 71 minutes to claim a gruelling first set. She held a 3-0 lead in the 2nd set only for the inventive Kostyuk to weasel her way back into the match, levelling proceedings at 4-4. Radacanu rallied well, seeing off Kostyuk 7-6, 6-4. She seems to have discovered a new-found appreciation for digging in during tight clashes. She has endured several trials these past few years but seems laser-focused on her tennis right now. She reached her maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal at this year’s Miami Open and showed commendable clay-court progress with a round of 16 run in Rome. She pushed Sabalenka at Wimbledon, matching the Belarusian’s humongous hitting to create some truly breathtaking exchanges. The win moved her up to 41 in the live WTA rankings and victory against Osaka will ensure she reclaims the British No.1 spot from Katie Boulter.
The Verdict: Radacanu to win in three at – This will surprisingly be their first career meeting. Osaka clearly has the experience but has struggled for fitness this entire season. Radacanu really looks like she is up for the struggle and will be hugely motivated this week. I think that Radacanu’s depth of shot is improving and could force the Japanese star into plenty of errors.
Magdalena Frech (5) vs Venus Williams
It’s quite incredible that Magdalena Frech is still clinging on to a top-25 spot. The 27-year-old has endured a torrid campaign, bringing a dreadful 8-18 record into this year’s Washington Open. She enjoyed a positive burst towards the end of last season, claiming a maiden title at the WTA 500 event in Guadalajara. She reached the Monterrey quarters and would also reach a maiden WTA 1000 quarterfinal in Wuhan. A defensive player by nature, Frech has attempted to integrate more aggression into her slice-heavy game (which was probably the catalyst behind last year’s late-season surge). But she has fallen apart this campaign and could plummet down the rankings if she fails to defend her points in the upcoming weeks. Frech handled her business in her Washington opener, taking down Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-2, 6-4.
Well, colour me absolutely dumbfounded. I was certain that this entire Venus Williams comeback was a little more than a gimmick. She is 45 years of age and hasn’t competed in 16 months. In fact, she hasn’t won a title since the 2016 Taiwan Open. What hope could she have against 2022 NCAA singles champ Peyton Stearns? Williams took to the court like a queen, dispatching her much younger compatriot 6-3, 6-4. In the process, Williams became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match since Martina Navratilova- then 47- at the 2004 Wimbledon Championships. It was slightly embarrassing for Stearns, who was made to run around the court by the 45-year-old veteran. Williams was typically solid on serve but showed a few jitters in the closing stages of the match, requiring six match-points to finally get the job done.
The Verdict: Williams to win in straight-sets at – This will be their first career meeting. I think Wiliams could win this match on vibes alone. Frech is in dismal form and Williams will receive passionate home support. Williams looked remarkably mobile against Stearns, often toying with the younger American. That makes me think that this could be more than just a one-match resurgence.
