Emma Raducanu Defeats Kostyuk in Gritty Opener at DC Open 2025 • CelebMafia

On July 22, Raducanu returned to form in Washington—her pink kit and laser backhand sealing a straight-sets win over No. 7 seed Marta Kostyuk.

Under the sweltering Washington sun, Emma Raducanu stepped onto the court at the Mubadala Citi DC Open with quiet intensity. No theatrics, no warm-up theatrics—just focus. And by the end of the match, she had done what few expected: handed Marta Kostyuk her sixth consecutive loss.

The British No. 3 defeated the No. 7 seed 7–6(4), 6–4 in a nearly two-hour battle at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 22, 2025. It was Raducanu’s best win by ranking since May, and a reminder that her comeback—after surgeries and an eight-month hiatus—is gaining traction.

Her look on court was as sharp as her play: a sleeveless pink kit paired with white wristbands and matching tennis shoes. The outfit, functional yet striking, mirrored her game—clean lines, no excess. As she prepared to return serve, the pink fabric caught the light, contrasting against the dark blue backdrop emblazoned with “MUBADALA.”

The match itself was a study in resilience. The first set saw both players trade breaks before arriving at a tense tiebreak. Kostyuk, under pressure and visibly battling the heat, faltered with a double fault and a mishit forehand. Raducanu capitalized, sealing the set with a backhand winner that sliced down the line like a signature.

In the second set, Raducanu surged to a 3–0 lead before Kostyuk clawed back to 4–4. But Raducanu held firm, breaking serve to close out the match on her second match point. The stats were tight—both players won 48 points in the first set—but Raducanu’s composure made the difference.

Next up? A second-round clash with Naomi Osaka, who defeated Yulia Putintseva earlier that day. It’s a marquee matchup—two Grand Slam champions, both navigating comebacks, both with something to prove.

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