Emma Raducanu describes Naomi Osaka as “pure speed”, while the Japanese star said earlier this year that the British player has “a royal air around her”.
Their rivalry is a mighty one in waiting, barely off the ground but rich in potential, and for just the second time in their careers, they are set to play each other.
It should happen at their first tournament of 2026, the United Cup team event in Australia.
Raducanu and Osaka both achieved massive success at a young age, and finding a way back to a Grand Slam-winning level has not been easy for either player.
There were flickers of elite form in 2025, but the coming year feels huge for these prominent personalities of the WTA Tour.
Both have new coaches – Francisco Roig for Raducanu and Tomasz Wiktorowski for Osaka.
Roig and Wiktorowski previously worked with Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek, respectively, and Raducanu has already been stepping up her serving under new tutelage, while Osaka is finding a cleaner hit and showing patience.
The curve is trending upwards after ranking rises in 2025, with Osaka at 16th on the WTA list following a run to the US Open semi-finals, and Raducanu at 29th, returning to being the British number one.
They are firmly in the top 10 in terms of name recognition and intend to regain that status in the rankings.
To that end, the signs are positive, given that both began this year outside the top 50.
For Raducanu and Osaka to go straight into competition against each other at the turn of the year means the match in Perth will be one many eyes will feast upon for 2026 pointers.
