Emma Raducanu concluded her run at the 2025 Mubadala Citi DC Open in Washington, D.C., falling in the semi-final to Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Despite the loss, the 22-year-old Brit demonstrated significant progress, climbing the rankings and earning valuable prize money in the WTA 500 event.

Starting the tournament ranked No. 46, Raducanu opened with a straight-sets victory over seventh seed Marta Kostyuk and followed that with another two-set win against former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Her impressive form continued with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph over former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari to reach the semi-finals.

Raducanu’s run ended when Kalinskaya secured a decisive 6-4, 6-3 victory. Nonetheless, the week signaled a resurgence from the player who famously won the 2021 US Open as a qualifier. Semi-finalists at WTA tournaments earn 195 ranking points, but Raducanu faced the challenge of defending 108 points from her quarter-final appearance at last year’s event.

Due to the tournament’s scheduling shift caused by the Paris Olympics, those points will drop next week, meaning Raducanu currently adds the full 195 points to her total, boosting her to 1,406 points and moving her up 13 places to No. 33 in the live rankings. When the updated rankings are released on July 28, she will be comfortably inside the top 35 and will regain the British No. 1 ranking, having lost it to Katie Boulter post-Wimbledon.

In doubles, Raducanu partnered with Elena Rybakina, and their semi-final finish earned each 195 points. This result will vault Raducanu 296 places to No. 273 in the doubles rankings.

With career prize money standing at $5,337,037—largely from her 2021 US Open victory—Raducanu has added $82,755 from Washington DC, combining earnings from singles and doubles. She earned $71,205 for reaching the singles semi-final and an additional $11,550 from splitting the $23,100 doubles prize with Rybakina.

The prestigious National Bank Open in Montreal ushers in a critical phase of the WTA season with top-tier play as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff seek to capitalize on their recent Grand Slam triumphs. Swiatek, seeded second, arrives determined to reclaim the No. 1 ranking and to sustain her momentum after clinching her maiden Wimbledon title. Her participation injects significant star power into a draw missing Aryna Sabalenka.

For both Swiatek and Gauff, this tournament represents an opportunity to build towards the final major of the year. Gauff returns to competitive action following an early exit at Wimbledon, where she was defeated by Dayana Yastremska. Both athletes have yet to reach the final at this event, making their campaigns this year particularly important.

Swiatek’s path appears challenging, with possible early encounters against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Clara Tauson, both players enjoying successful seasons. The quarterfinals could see matches against Madison Keys, Belinda Bencic, or Karolina Muchova, with a semifinal potentially setting up a clash with two-time defending champion Jessica Pegula.

Gauff, meanwhile, may face Danielle Collins in an early round, followed by possible matches against Jasmine Paolini, Ekaterina Alexandrova, or Diana Shnaider—the latter having defeated Gauff previously in Montreal. Gauff’s confidence will be closely watched after her breakthrough at Roland Garros and the disappointment at Wimbledon.

Jessica Pegula, seeking a third consecutive title at her near-home event, remains a formidable contender on the fast courts favored by the Buffalo native. Despite some inconsistencies this season, she holds an impressive overall record of 35-14 with three titles and a world ranking of No. 4.

As the 96-player draw unfolds, the Montreal tournament offers an engaging preview of the race to the year’s concluding Grand Slam, highlighting the competitive depth and narratives unique to the WTA tour.

In a challenging year shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rafael Nadal’s appearance at the 2021 Citi DC Open marked a significant and memorable moment for the tournament. Mark Ein, tournament director, shared insights about Nadal’s participation and the unique arrangements behind it.

Nadal, recovering from a foot injury that forced him out of Wimbledon, accepted a reduced yet fair appearance fee as the tournament operated under COVID restrictions with only half the stands filled. “His team actually called and said: ‘He wants to play DC, tell us what is fair, and we will take it. He needs to play,’” Ein revealed on the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast.

The tournament, which occupies a difficult spot on the calendar, typically sees Nadal take an extended break after the grass-court Grand Slam. His decision to compete was therefore notable and sparked tremendous interest. Fans eagerly bought out tickets, with a waiting list of 15,000 people. Ein described the atmosphere: “The whole town is buzzing, our community is buzzing… The level of interest in this event [was] unprecedented in our five decades of this tournament.”

Nadal’s matches provided thrilling tennis despite his injury concerns. He edged out Jack Sock in a three-hour battle before falling to Lloyd Harris in the second round. His practice sessions were highly attended, providing essential financial support for the event, which had been canceled in 2020.

In appreciation of Nadal’s trust and the positive impact on the event, Ein later increased his appearance fee beyond the initial offer. “I literally called and just said I am going to give you a meaningful amount more because I want to keep in the spirit of being fair… It was amazing,” Ein said.

Since Nadal’s 2021 participation, the Citi DC Open has expanded its stature, becoming the only joint-500-level tournament on both the ATP and WTA tours, reflecting its growing prestige and appeal.