Emma Raducanu is set for a return to the Washington Open just 12 months after snubbing the Olympics to compete in the Stateside event. Raducanu opted out of going to the Paris Games last year and will compete alongside some big names at this year’s edition.
While Raducanu’s current focus is fixed on the grass court season, with Wimbledon set to get underway later this month, the Brit has started to put plans for the return to hard courts into place. And in preparation for the US Open later in the year, the former champion will return to the capital competition.
Raducanu’s Olympics no show was mostly down to the fact the competition was taking part on clay at Roland-Garros – a surface she has struggled with in the past. The tennis star said at the time: “Had the Olympics been on a different surface, then I don’t know,” but was adamant she picked: “100 per cent the right option.”
After saying no to the Olympics last year, Raducanu managed to reach the quarter-final of the competition, beating Elise Mertens and Peyton Stearns en route. Her run came to an end against Paula Badosa in the last eight, with Raducanu having spurned a chance to reach the last four after going one set up.
As far as preparation for the US Open was concerned, Raducanu was eliminated from the final Grand Slam of the year in the opening round. Home crowd favourite Sofia Kenin got the better of her that time around, meaning she still hasn’t made it beyond the first round at Flushing Meadows since winning it in 2021.
Raducanu won’t be the only former US champion involved at the Washington Open, with Naomi Osaka also headlining the bill. Osaka has struggled for form at times since coming back from maternity leave and was most recently dumped out of the Grass-Court Championship in Berlin after the first round.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, who won the US Open the same year as Raducanu, will compete in the men’s draw. It’s the first time Medvedev has been back to Washington since he reached the final back in 2019.
Speaking after the announcement, he said: “I’m looking forward to coming back to Washington and playing the tournament again. I have great memories from 2019 when I reached the final, and I’ve had some strong results there. I really enjoy the city, and it’s a great place to compete during the summer.”