Emma Raducanu reveals what she knew about Naomi Osaka before beating her at the Washington Open

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Emma Raducanu is through to the quarter-finals at the Washington Open, following her straight-sets win over Naomi Osaka.

In the battle of the former US Open champions, Raducanu defeated Osaka 6-4, 6-2, to advance to the last eight in D.C., where she will face Maria Sakkari.

The Briton, now a three-time former quarter-finalist in the American capital, will look to go one step further at the event this time with a win over the Greek star, whom she has never lost to.

Following her victory in the round of 16, Raducanu explained what she knew she had to do to emerge victorious against Osaka.

Emma Raducanu gives her immediate reaction after defeating Naomi Osaka

In her on-court interview, Raducanu said: “I thought it was going to be a really difficult match.

“Naomi, you know, she’s won four slams, she’s been world number one, won masters, and she’s so dangerous, and on the hard courts, I think she’s particularly comfortable.

“So I knew I was going to have to play really well and manage my own service games,  which I’m really proud of how I did.

“I was kind of making some inroads in her service games after I got used to it a little bit, but yeah,  I’m really pleased with how I handled the ball speed, and yeah, the conditions here in D.C.”

Emma Raducanu explains what changed with her second serve against Naomi Osaka

Raducanu tallied a second serve winning percentage of 61%, which she thought was “extremely important.”

The 22-year-old said: “If you float the second serve in, Naomi is going to crunch it, and I’ll be behind in the points, so I have to trust my abilities on the second serve.

“And I went for it, and I had just the one double fault, I think. So pretty pleased with that, but yeah, I think it was just a really difficult match.

“Before I went on court, I knew I was going to have to play well, and the atmosphere was also really good.”

She has faced her next opponent, Sakkari, three times on the WTA Tour, and has won each of their meetings, including the semi-finals of the 2021 US Open.