Naomi Osaka is finally back on her preferred surface after enduring a long and challenging clay and grass court swing. Her enthusiasm was evident in Toronto when she expressed, “The moment my foot touched the hard court, I felt like Sailor Moon, undergoing a transformation.” However, despite a strong start against Ons Jabeur, the Japanese player failed to perform in the R2 against Elise Mertens. She was convincingly defeated by the Belgian in two sets. Her next challenge awaits at the Cincinnati Open, where she finds herself compelled to participate in the qualifiers. Osaka playing qualifiers? It is quite surprising considering recent players who have declined to play.
A well-known tennis journalist, Ben Rothenberg, recently made an announcement regarding this matter. He stated, “Naomi Osaka will compete in a qualifying match for the first time since February 2018. Tomorrow, she will face Anna Blinkova in the first round of qualifiers for the WTA 1000 Cincinnati.” Interestingly, if we closely observe the comments section of this post, Emma Raducanu garners more attention than the Japanese player. Why is that?
Raducanu has faced criticism from fans for her decision to skip the Toronto and Cincinnati tournaments after not receiving Main Draw Wild Cards for both WTA 1000 events. Both Osaka and Raducanu are former Grand Slam champions. In fact, Osaka has won four major titles compared to Raducanu’s solitary victory. However, Osaka has chosen to participate in the qualifiers. The reason? “I’m playing Cinci and there are no other tournaments available.”
The 26-year-old Japanese tennis star reached the finals here in 2020, and she is well aware that she won’t be playing many matches before the US Open apart from this tournament. Therefore, this presents a significant opportunity for her to gain some winning momentum. Even Raducanu has faced challenges with her fitness and form in recent months. Participating in a few matches would have boosted her confidence leading up to the US Open. However, she chose a different path, and this is where fans have expressed their objections.
Osaka and Raducanu are now two prominent figures in the women’s tennis world. However, both have encountered some difficulties this season. Osaka’s best performance has been reaching the quarterfinals twice this year in previous tournaments. Raducanu has reached one semifinal and three quarterfinals. Nonetheless, as mentioned earlier, Osaka is a multiple Grand Slam champion, while Raducanu’s sole major triumph came at the 2021 US Open. Despite her proven track record, Osaka has chosen to participate in the qualifiers to ensure she is in optimal shape and position for the upcoming major event in New York. This is what has led fans to conclude, “Take note, Raducanu!”
The British tennis player is currently ranked 69th in the world and was hoping to receive a special invitation to participate in the Cincinnati tournament. However, the organizers have chosen to give wild card entries to Caroline Wozniacki, Peyton Stearns, Bianca Andreescu, and Caroline Dolehide. This decision has left her feeling disappointed and she has decided to skip the event. However, some fans have criticized her for this choice. One fan wrote, “And yet Raducanu – a less accomplished player than Osaka – continues to refuse to play qualifying matches. She thinks she’s better than the other players. That’s why she’s back in the UK.”
Naomi Osaka has won 17 matches and lost 15 (53.1%) this season, while Raducanu has a record of 18 wins and 11 losses (62.1%). These numbers are not particularly impressive for either player, especially considering their potential. However, the fact that they have taken different paths to reach the US Open has led some fans to comment, “Naomi is seen as hardworking while Emma refuses to play qualifiers.”
This is not the first time that Raducanu has chosen not to participate in qualifying matches. She previously decided not to play in the qualifiers for the 2024 French Open, stating, “It’s important for me to build a strong foundation and I will use this time to prepare for the grass and hard-court seasons to ensure I stay fit for the rest of the year.” Will she be seen at the WTA 250 event in Cleveland now? We cannot confirm anything at the moment, but fans are not happy with this decision. One fan wrote, “But Radacant thinks she’s too good. It doesn’t make sense.”
Fans are pleased to see Osaka taking a different approach, but what may have caused Raducanu to be overlooked for the WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati? Well, if we look back, Raducanu’s decision to withdraw from the Miami Open in March after receiving a wild card and her poor performance in Madrid as a wild card entrant may have contributed to this. She even declined a wild card to play in the Paris Olympics. In light of the current situation of these two tennis stars, another fan wrote, “Good for her…not afraid to play in qualifiers unlike some…”
Photo from Emma Raducanu Instagram
