Naomi Osaka conceded that being back on the hard courts at the Washington Open took some getting used to, having enjoyed recent success on grass. 

Osaka reached her third straight quarter-final after Ashlyn Krueger was forced to retire from their second-round match on Wednesday, with the third seed already 6-3 3-1 in front. 

The four-time major winner started strongly and raced into a 4-1 lead, with Krueger requesting a medical timeout as she received treatment for an apparent ankle injury. 

Krueger attempted to battle on, but with her movement visibly restricted, she withdrew from the match after 53 minutes to send Osaka into the next round of the competition. 

Osaka's win comes after reaching the final at Bad Homburg and the last eight at Wimbledon, the latter being her best-ever result at the All England Club.

However, she revealed that adjusting to the hard courts, the surface on which she has won all four of her majors, was difficult after her displays on grass in 2026.

"It's kind of funny because I thought, leaving grass courts, I'd be so happy to touch a hard court again," Osaka said.

"And then in my first practice on a hard court, I was a little bit, like, I might like grass a lot better! It did take some adjusting. It did take some getting used to.

"But I think in that first practice back on a hard court, I finally realised why people said my game could suit a grass court, because everything is a lot faster."

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Ashlyn @naomiosaka moves through to the quarterfinals in Washington, DC after Krueger is forced to retire.#MubadalaDCOpen pic.twitter.com/i9Uc0up1nm

— wta (@WTA) July 30, 2026

Osaka will now face Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who upset eighth seed Emma Navarro earlier in the day, but she offered her support for her stricken second-round opponent. 

"I'm really sad for her that she couldn't finish the match, and I really hope she gets better because, honestly, it sounded serious," Osaka said of Krueger.

"I'm really shocked that she was able to play through the pain, and I think that says a lot about her character."

Should Osaka progress past Cocciaretto, a meeting with either Elina Svitolina or Alexander Eala awaits, after the latter beat Leylah Fernandez in straight sets in the last 16.