Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, has confirmed her participation in the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open, held July 19–27 in Washington, D.C., an event she prioritized over the 2024 Paris Olympics due to its hardcourt surface aligning better with her US Open preparations, per Express. The 22-year-old Brit, now ranked No. 36, reached the quarter-finals in 2024, defeating Elise Mertens and Peyton Stearns before losing to Paula Badosa, per Daily Express US. Raducanu, who opted out of the clay-based Olympics to avoid injury risks post-2023 surgeries, called it “100 per cent the right option,” per Express. She’ll be joined by Naomi Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, who also struggled in 2024, exiting early in Berlin’s grasscourt event, per Express.
The Washington Open, a combined ATP/WTA 500 event, features a strong field, including Daniil Medvedev, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, and Emma Navarro, with seven top-10 players, per @washingtonpost. Raducanu’s recent fitness focus, bolstered by hiring Yutaka Nakamura—Osaka’s former trainer—signals intent to improve her athleticism, with Osaka praising Nakamura’s empathy and humor, per Sportskeeda. Despite a first-round US Open exit in 2024 to Sofia Kenin, Raducanu’s return to Washington aims to rebuild momentum, per Daily Express US. Her decision reflects a strategic career focus, prioritizing health and hardcourts over Olympic clay, per The Tennis Gazette.
