Naomi Osaka Throws and Kicks Her Racket in Frustration During Tense DC Open Win

Naomi Osaka progressed to the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open after surviving a scare against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Friday, July 31. Far from her best, the Japanese star overcame a stern challenge posed by her opponent to rally to a three-set comeback victory.

At one point during the match, Osaka lost her cool and took her frustration out on her racket.

Naomi Osaka Battles Through a Tough Mubadala DC Open Challenge

Osaka, the third seed, opened her campaign in the second round after a first-round bye. Her tournament began on an unfortunate note as her opponent Ashlyn Krueger was forced to retire while trailing 6-3, 3-1. Osaka later admitted she was worried about the American and disappointed by the abrupt finish, emphasizing her desire to gain as much match play as possible ahead of the US Open.

Her clash with Cocciaretto certainly gave her the match time she had been hoping for. The Italian produced a string of impressive performances, defeating Clara Tauson and Emma Navarro to set up a showdown with the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Osaka’s two-hour, 11-minute battle began with her dropping serve in the opening game. Although she managed to break back, she was broken again later in the set and eventually fell 6-4. She recovered to win the next two sets, but her frustration was evident as she uncharacteristically hurled her racket onto the court before kicking it away.

Osaka ultimately closed out the tense match with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 score to reach her second semifinal of the season after the Bad Homburg Open, where she was the runner-up.

“In the first set, I had low energy, and I kept trying to pump myself up, but something was a little flat,” Osaka said. “In the second, I just wanted to give it my best shot even though I wasn’t playing too good.”

“I feel, from my end, it was just a really rough match,” she said during her on-court interview.

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The 28-year-old landed just 47.7% of her first serves and converted five of her 12 break-point opportunities. “I think my service percentage was probably really bad. But I feel I just wanted to fight and wanted to compete as hard as I could.”

Naomi Osaka now awaits the winner of Elina Svitolina vs. Alexandra Eala for a place in the final of the WTA 500 Mubadala DC Open.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.