Archive of posts tagged US Open Women’s singles final

Naomi Osaka mentions Serena Williams when addressing her 'biggest weapon'

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BET Award for Sportswoman of the Year

Naomi Osaka mentioned Serena Williams when asked about her powerful first serve as the Japanese suggested that seeing how the American tennis icon served even in tense moments helped her always believe that her own serve would be there for her.

On Sunday, the Japanese delivered a masterpiece performance and annihilated former world No. 11 Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0 in the Montreal round-of-16.

From start to finish, it was all Osaka. One of the things that stood was the four-time Grand Slam champion's serve as she fired five aces – zero double faults – won 72 percent of her first serve points – faced three break points across two separate games but saved them all.

Overall, it has been an outstanding week for Osaka in Montreal, who has dropped just one set in four matches played. Her serve has been a major factor behind her promising run at the Canadian WTA 1000 tournament.

Osaka asked how it is possible that she 'never loses her first serve' and that it always remains her 'biggest weapon

The 27-year-old responded: "I don't know. I think for me I just grew up in an era of watching Serena, and she would be down Love 40 and hit four aces. I still think about that sometimes when I play. I also feel like it doesn't have to be an ace. I just have to hit a really good serve and see what happens, because off the baseline, I still think I'm one of the better players, so…"

Per the WTA website, Osaka has fired 200 aces so far in 2025 – won 74 percent of her first serve points – and owns a 78.7 percent when it comes to holding her own serve. 

Considering that Osaka plays next against Svitolina in Montreal, there is no doubt that the four-time Grand Slam winner will need her serve to click exceptionally.

Serena Williams' childhood coach has sage advice for struggling Naomi Osaka

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Ariana Arseneault

Serena Williams' childhood coach Rick Macci still believes in Naomi Osaka but highlights to the former world No. 1 that she must find the right guidance and fix some technical stuff in her game.

On Sunday – just a day before her scheduled Montreal first-round match against Ariana Arseneault – the Japanese tennis player decided to end her partnership with coach Patrick Mouratoglou. While the Frenchman is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the game, he didn't manage to help the current world No. 49 rediscover her form that was once making her a Grand Slam contender and champion. 

While Osaka and Mouratoglou had some positive moments and flashes – like when the Japanese reached the final at the WTA 250 tournament in Auckland and also won the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo – overall their tenure didn't go as expected. This year, the four-time Grand Slam champion is only 21-12 and sits ranked just inside the top-50.

Macci: Osaka's split step and anticipation are not there… She can flip the script with the right choice

"Winning/losing is a fine line. Naomi can flip the script with the right choice and what she 100% needs and a proven voice. Her split step is way off and overall anticipation is on vacation. This can be corrected if it is explained in detail and no doubt her confidence will not bail," the 70-year-old coach wrote on X.

Osaka has now changed two coaches since starting her post-pregnancy comeback in 2024 January. In late 2023, she returned Wim Fissette to her team – the same coach with whom she won multiple Grand Slams in the past. Their partnership ended last September. 

It will be interesting to see what Osaka will search in a new coach and who it will be. 

Emma Raducanu rewarded for great Washington run with her best ranking since 2022

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Anna Kalinskaya

Emma Raducanu's deep Washington run came with a solid reward as the British tennis player gained 13 spots on the updated WTA rankings and now sits at No. 33 in the world.

After returning to the top-40 for the first time in years a few months ago, the 2021 US Open champion exited the top-40 club recently and she entered Washington as the 46th-ranked player in the game. Although unseeded, the 22-year-old put up a good run and made the semifinal at the WTA 500 tournament in the United States capital before falling short to Anna Kalinskaya.

For Raducanu, it was heavily disappointing not to reach her first final since 2021 in Washington. However, the Briton still has something to be happy about as she is back inside the top-35 for the first time since 2022. Also, she is now once again the top-ranked British female tennis player.

Raducanu issued a pretty confident remark about herself in Washington

Last week, the 22-year-old decided to publicly praise herself. When doing so, she spoke positively about her game but also her tennis outfits.

"I think when I watch myself now, I really like how I look on the court. Not in like a narcissistic way. I mean in terms of energy, and I think I feel quite upbeat. The pink outfit is pretty cute as well. I think it's more I look composed on the court. I feel composed. I think that's a product of just the amount of work I'm doing behind the scenes that maybe people don't see. I love that, I love banking it in, doing everything in the shadows," Raducanu said in Washington.

This week, Raducanu is competing at the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal. Since the new world No. 33 didn't play at the Canadian Open last year, she could clinch some solid ranking points if she makes a run. 

Raducanu plays against Elena-Gabriela Ruse in the Montreal first round. In the past, they played once – in the 2024 Auckland first round – and the British tennis player won that match in three sets.

Washington: Emma Raducanu recovers from deficit in each set to reach semfinal

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Anna Kalinskaya

Emma Raducanu made her first semifinal of the year but it came all but an easy way after the British tennis star came from a break down in each set to beat Maria Sakkari 6-4 7-5 in the Washington quarterfinal.

Playing against former world No. 3 Sakkari, Raducanu made a slow start and lost the opening two games. But with three breaks in the remainder of the first set, the 2021 US Open champion managed to overturn the deficit and bag the opener.

After blowing a break in the first set, Sakkari also claimed a break in the sixth game of the second set and went on to open a 5-2 lead. But just when it seemed that their match would go three sets, the British tennis star won the next five games in a row to overturn the deficit once again and complete a two-set win.

In the Washington semifinal, Raducanu will battle against either No. 4 seed Clara Tauson or Anna Kalinskaya.

What Raducanu admitted after beating Sakkari?

After getting the job done against Sakkari in two sets, the 2021 US Open winner admitted that she didn't feel well at all after falling down by a break in the second set and that she just hoped the match wouldn't go three sets.

“I think you get to a point where you’re so tired that you don’t really know what you’re doing anymore, and I think maybe that helped. I just really had to be smooth and conserve energy. I was also thinking if this goes to three sets, I don't know how I’m going to do it. So just happy I toughed it out," the 22-year-old admitted after beating Sakkari.

For Raducanu, this is her first Washington semifinal. In her first two Washington appearances that came in 2022 and 2024, the Briton concluded her run in the quarterfinal.