Simon Dalton shares his prediction for the WTA Washington match.
This will be the first meeting between Emma Raducanu and Naomi Osaka. Both players are Grand Slam champions and now face off for a place in the quarter-finals.
Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu had a challenging start to the hard-court season, being eliminated in the first round at four of her first five tournaments. However, she showed signs of progress at the Indian Wells tournament, reaching the quarter-finals. Emma has won five of her last six matches on hard courts and seems confident in Washington, where she has previously reached the quarter-finals twice. In 2025, Raducanu won six out of ten hard-court matches against top-50 opponents.
Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka is gradually returning after a break, but her current form remains inconsistent, with five wins and five losses in her last ten matches. Her opening match in Washington against Yulia Putintseva was challenging: Naomi committed six double faults and achieved only 42 % on her first serve. This season, she has played only five matches against top-50 players on hard courts, winning three.
Emma Raducanu vs Naomi Osaka Prediction
Comparing current form and match readiness, Emma Raducanu appears to have the edge. She is showing a higher level of play and has already demonstrated her readiness for this tournament by defeating Marta Kostyuk, ranked 27th in the WTA standings, in the first round. We expect Emma to emerge victorious in this encounter.
