Naomi Osaka’s 2026 Mubadala DC Open debut didn’t unfold as she had hoped. Her opponent, 22-year-old American Ashlyn Krueger, couldn’t finish the match and retired hurt in the second set. During her post-match interviews, Osaka extended her best wishes to Krueger while taking note of her resilience and character.
Naomi Osaka Advances to the Quarterfinals of the Mubadala DC Open
After a strong run at Wimbledon, which saw her reach her first quarterfinal at the tournament, Osaka resumed her campaign at the WTA 5000 event in Washington, D.C. Following a bye in the first round, the third seed faced home hope Krueger in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, July 29.
She got off to an excellent start, building a 4-1 advantage. At that point, however, Krueger requested a medical timeout to address discomfort in her right foot. The American continued the match, albeit visibly struggling with her movement. Osaka eventually clinched the set with a 6-3 score and broke early in the second set for a 2-1 lead. She held serve to make it 3-1 in the second set, after which Ashlyn Krueger retired from the match due to a right ankle injury, with a 6-3, 3-1 (ret.) score.
During her Tennis Channel appearance after the match, Osaka admitted she was in disbelief that Krueger managed to compete for 53 minutes, believing the injury looked serious.
“I’m really sad for her that she couldn’t finish the match, and I really hope she gets better because honestly it sounded serious. I’m really shocked that she was able to play through the pain, and I think that says a lot about her character.”
During her on-court interview, the former World No. 1 indicated that her opponent’s medical timeout affected her approach to the match. “For me, from that moment I had a really hard time closing, just because I was like, ‘Oh my God, I really hope that I’m playing well.’ It’s a tough situation. I hope that she gets better ASAP.”
For a place in the semifinals, Osaka has Elisabetta Cocciaretto as her next challenge. The Italian has fought her way into the last eight, securing hard-fought wins over Clara Tauson and Emma Navarro. For the Japanese star, meanwhile, her primary goal ahead of the US Open is to get as many matches under her belt as possible.
She is chasing her first Tour-level title since winning the Australian Open in 2021. Ranked No. 13 in the world, she is enjoying a successful season, with a 21-8 win-loss record. She also reached one final last month, on the grass courts of Bad Homburg.
As the North American swing progresses, Naomi Osaka faces the task of defending her run to the final of the Canadian Open.
