Raducanu beats Osaka but Norrie & Evans lose in DC

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Emma Raducanu has not reached a final on the WTA Tour since the 2021 US OpenImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Emma Raducanu has not reached a final on the WTA Tour since the 2021 US Open

Elizabeth Botcherby

BBC Sport journalist

Britain's Emma Raducanu is through to the quarter-finals of the women's singles at the Washington Open after beating four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka in straight sets.

After previously upsetting Ukrainian seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in round one, the 22-year-old produced a dominant performance to overcome former world number one Osaka 6-4 6-2.

The 2021 US Open women's singles champion will face wildcard Maria Sakkari in the last eight after the Greek player knocked out American second seed Emma Navarro.

Raducanu, who will replace Katie Boulter as British number one when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday, is also through to the semi-finals of the women's doubles.

She and partner Elena Rybakina overcame Giuliana Olmos and Aldila Sutjiadi 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to set up a last-four meeting with second seeds Shuai Zhang and Taylor Townsend.

However, in the men's singles, Britons Cameron Norrie and Dan Evans were eliminated in the last 16.

British number two Norrie lost to 14th seed Brandon Nakashima 7-6 (7-3) 6-3.

After a tight first set was decided by a tie-break, American Nakashima twice broke Norrie's serve in the second to reach the quarter-finals.

Evans, who won the tournament in 2023, fought back from 5-3 down and saved a match point to force a tie-break in the second set against Corentin Moutet but the Frenchman prevailed in straight sets, winning 6-2 7-6 (7-4).

Cameron Norrie plays a backhand at the Washington OpenImage source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Cameron Norrie lost to Brandon Nakashima for the first time since 2020

Raducanu won the first set in 38 minutes after successfully converting her only break point in the fifth game.

She then immediately broke Osaka's serve at the beginning of the second set and after saving a break point in the fourth game, broke her serve for a second time to take a 4-1 lead.

With Japan's Osaka serving to stay in the match, Raducanu could not convert her first match point in the seventh game.

But after spurning a second match point and saving a break point, Raducanu completed the victory at the third attempt, winning the second set 6-2.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, she said: "I thought it was going to be a really difficult match.

"Naomi's won four slams, she's been world number one, won Masters. She's so dangerous and on the hard courts, I think she's particularly comfortable.

"I knew I was going to have to play well and manage my own service games, which I'm really proud of how I did. I was making some inroads in her service game after I got used to it a little bit.

"I'm really pleased with how I handled the ball speed and conditions here in DC."

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