Naomi Osaka hits back at Emma Raducanu suggestion after 'saddest video I've seen'

Naomi Osaka has hit back at suggestions that Emma Raducanu followed her career trajectory as the Grand Slam champions prepare to face each other for the first time. The former world No. 1 and the Brit will do battle in the second round of the WTA 500 in Washington, and Osaka is looking forward to seeing their paths cross.

Both women reached superstardom after becoming young Grand Slam champions before taking different routes through the sport. But they've also dealt with their own struggles and taken time away from the game for different reasons. And Osaka expressed her sympathy for Raducanu after seeing the 22-year-old cry on court while dealing with a fixated spectator in Dubai, something the four-time Major winner said was the "saddest video I've ever seen".

Osaka was just 20 when she beat tennis icon Serena Williams to win her first Major at the 2018 US Open in a controversial final that saw Williams penalised by the umpire. But she followed it up in expert fashion, winning the Australian Open a few months later.

The Japanese star reached No. 1 in the world and won the US Open and Australian Open back-to-back again in 2020 and 2021. Since then, she has been open about her mental health struggles and took a lengthy break from the sport to welcome her first child, before returning in January 2024.

Raducanu, meanwhile, was just 18 years old, ranked at No. 150 and playing the fourth professional tournament of her career when she won the 2021 US Open, making history as the first qualifier to be crowned a Grand Slam champion.

But she has struggled for form in the years since and shut down her 2023 season to have three surgeries, also coming back at the beginning of last year. Both women became overnight sensations after their maiden Major title wins and continue to rake in money off the court in brand deals.

However, Osaka doesn't see a lot of the similarities. "I won my second Slam after I won my first Slam," she said of their contrasting journeys.

The 27-year-old can relate, however, to the increased spotlight and scrutiny that Raducanu has found herself under since winning in New York four years ago. And she was saddened to see the Brit dealing with a fixated fan at a tournament earlier this year.

Raducanu burst into tears early into her match against Karolina Muchova in Dubai. It later emerged that she recognised a man who had approached her the previous day. He was removed from the stands and has since been blocked from applying for Wimbledon tickets.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Osaka said: "I mean, honestly, I feel like for her, it must be really tough, because I read online, like, she had a stalker.

"I don't know if it's allowed to say out loud. I don't really know. I saw in Dubai or something there was - honestly, I really feel sad for her, because that video was, like, one of the most saddest videos I've ever seen.

"And I just hope she has a lot of really good people around her. I think that there must be a lot of pressure from - I don't know how British media is, but they don't really seem the kindest. I think she's navigating it really well."

Osaka has been following Raducanu's journey since the Brit made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2021, storming into the second week as a wildcard ranked outside of the top 300 before she retired mid-match with breathing difficulties.

"I have seen her, I guess when she first did well at Wimbledon before she won the US Open, like moments like that, and I knew she was a good player. So I guess for our paths to finally cross is really cool," the former No. 1 said.

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