Emma Raducanu emerged victorious in the battle of former US Open champions as she beat Naomi Osaka in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals of the Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington.

The 2021 Flushing Meadows winner produced a commanding 6-4 6-2 win over Osaka to continue her preparations for next month’s US Open, where Osaka was previously crowned champion in 2018 and 2020.

Raducanu will now advance to face Maria Sakkari in the next round after the Greek player’s 7-5 7-6 victory over Emma Navarro.

The win will see Raducanu leapfrog Katie Boulter again to become the British women’s No 1, having claimed the position in June before dropping back to 46th in the world after her third-round loss to Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon.

“I thought it was going to be a really difficult match,” said Raducanu in her on-court interview.

“Naomi has won four Slams, been world No 1, she’s so dangerous and on the hard courts I think she’s particularly comfortable so I knew I’d have to play really well and manage my service games which I’m really proud of how I did.

“I’m really pleased with how I handled the ball speed and the conditions.”

Raducanu nudged ahead five games into the opening set when she converted the first of two break points courtesy of Osaka’s double fault to lead 3-2.

A love hold would consolidate her two-game cushion for 5-3 before Osaka’s long forehand helped Raducanu wrap up the set in just 38 minutes.

She strengthened her grip on the match with an immediate break of serve in the second set, before rescuing a break point to hold for 3-1.

A double fault would then cost Osaka once more moments later as she gifted Raducanu a break point and, ultimately, a route to a 4-1 lead.

Raducanu would see out the match shortly after as she saved a break point with a thumping first serve before converting a third match point.

She finished with a first serve win percentage of 76 and, perhaps more importantly, a second serve win percentage of 61 to Osaka’s 45 as she sought to take the game to her opponent from the baseline.

Osaka was meanwhile scuppered by seven double faults in the match, and was unable to take either of her two break-point opportunities.

“If you float the second serve Naomi will crunch it and you’ll be behind in the point, I had to trust my abilities on the second serve and I went for it and I think there was just the one double fault at the end,” said Raducanu.

“I think it was a really difficult match before I went on court, I knew I’d have to play really well.”

Raducanu now moves on to face Sakkari, who knocked out Britain’s Katie Boulter with a 6-3 6-4 win earlier this week before beating second seed Navarro.

“We’ve played a few times, I think the conditions really suit her, she enjoys playing her, she took out the second seed yesterday so she’s in great form,” said Raducanu.

Cameron Norrie meanwhile saw his time in Washington come to an end as he suffered a 6-7 3-6 defeat to American 14th seed Brandon Nakashima

It comes after the Brit had upset the odds to beat world number seven and second-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, marking his first win over a top-10 player in two-and-a-half years.

Dan Evans was also knocked out after losing 2-6 6-7 to French trickster Corentin Moutet, who advances to face Daniil Medvedev.

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