Osaka fights past Cocciaretto to reach first Washington semi-final
Naomi Osaka defeated Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Friday evening and will play the winner of the match between Filipino Alexandra Eala and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, the second seed, in the next round
Naomi Osaka, Washington 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Naomi Osaka, the No. 3 seed, beat Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Mubadala DC Open for the first time. The Japanese, ranked No. 13, will face the winner between Alexandra Eala of the Philippines and No. 2 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine next.
Osaka struggled to find her range in the first set but grew into the match, fighting back to level before closing it out in the third. It is her second semi-final of the season, and continues a strong recent run in which she has now won 10 of her last 12 matches. The result also marks her 20th career semi-final on hard courts.
Osaka had advanced to the quarter-finals after American Ashlyn Krueger retired while trailing 6-3, 3-1. Cocciaretto, ranked No. 71, reached the last eight by beating No. 8 seed Emma Navarro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and edging Denmark’s Clara Tauson 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (2).
