The 28-year-old Osaka is a four-time Slam winner, while Raducanu, who recently turned 23, stunned the sporting world in 2021 when she triumphed at the US Open as a qualifier.
The pair were long overdue when they finally faced off at the Washington Open in July.
Raducanu was dominant on the day against the former world number one, winning 6-4 6-2 for one of her best results of the year.
Before that match, Osaka said of Raducanu: “To me she is the queen, like there is a royal aura around her.
“I feel like when I see her or Serena it brings out the child in me because they were my favorite players to watch.”
During that week, it emerged that the pair were in fact strangers to each other on a personal level and had never had a conversation.
There was a lot of talk on the field about Raducanu’s game.
“I saw her at Wimbledon, but I think it’s different playing someone in real life than playing them or seeing them on TV,” Osaka said after her defeat.
“It was very good to have this experience, to feel what her ball is like. Hopefully I can play against her again one day.”
Raducanu’s assessment was one of great satisfaction, as she said: “I quite like this kind of match-ups, where you’re playing against a great opponent, a lot of people are watching the match, they’re looking forward to it. I’m happy with how I was able to navigate being a four-time Slam champion.”
Tennis has made both players rich and famous, but they have suffered – perhaps more than most in the sport – on the court.
Both have experienced a downside to their status: Raducanu was followed by a stalker, while Osaka struggled with her mental health at times and took a break from the sport after losing early at the 2021 US Open, the event where Raducanu’s momentous breakthrough arrived.
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