Naomi Osaka's Comeback Run in Washington Ends in the Semifinals

Article

Naomi Osaka's summer comeback run continued in Washington — a fighting quarterfinal win followed by a semifinal exit that still fits a broader pattern of real progress.

Building Form at Wimbledon

Osaka reached the Wimbledon fourth round for the first time in her career in 2026, beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-3 in a dominant display along the way.

A Fighting Quarterfinal in Washington

At the Mubadala DC Open on August 1, Osaka beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto in three sets in the quarterfinals, coming back after dropping the first set 4-6 to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The Semifinal Result

Later that day, Alexandra Eala beat Osaka 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinals, ending her run in Washington. Eala went on to reach her first WTA 500 final, against Jessica Pegula. Osaka's search for her first WTA Tour title in more than five years continues.

What To Know

Osaka's comeback story is one of the most closely followed narratives in tennis — a former world No. 1 and multiple Grand Slam champion working her way back to elite form after time away from the sport. A first-ever Wimbledon fourth round and a fighting three-set comeback in the DC Open quarterfinals are genuine signs of that progress, even though the semifinal loss means the title drought continues for now.

Osaka's quarterfinal win over Cocciaretto came after dropping the first set 4-6 — a real comeback, not a straightforward victory — which matters for reading her semifinal loss accurately: this wasn't a player coasting to an easy exit, but one who had just fought through a genuinely difficult match hours earlier before running into a tough semifinal opponent in Eala.

What Fans Are Saying

• "Fighting back from a set down in the quarterfinal and then playing a same-day semifinal is a brutal ask — the loss makes sense."
• "First-ever Wimbledon 4th round is a real marker of progress, title or no title."
• "Still rooting for that first title back — she's clearly close."

Original Japanese

• 「準々決勝で1セット取られてからの逆転勝ち、その日のうちに準決勝はさすがに厳しい」
• 「ウィンブルドン初の4回戦進出は、優勝がなくても本当に価値のある結果」
• 「優勝までもう少し、応援し続けたい」

Easy Japanese

大坂なおみ選手は、8月1日のワシントンでの大会で準決勝に進みましたが、そこで負けてしまいました。それでも、最近はとても調子が良い状態が続いています。