Around the Washington grounds: Osaka unites DC fans as Venus, Shnaider prevail

Author: Cole Bambini

4m read 27 Jul 2026 1h ago

Cole Bambini/WTA

WASHINGTON -- Twenty four hours ago, Naomi Osaka spontaneously teased an idea to her 3 million Instagram followers.

"Kinda thinking of throwing a little cookout on site tomorrow if the tournament would let me lol. Would you guys pull up???"

Twenty four hours later, the fans and Osaka delivered.

Rapidly organizing a one-hour cookout and fan meet-and-greet from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. with the Mubadala DC Open, Osaka, with a lemonade in hand, united hundreds of fans at the Front Porch, a tournament fan area that features local food and beverage vendors, picnic tables and a jumbo screen.

Spectators received autographs, chatted and took pictures with four-time Grand Slam champion a few days ahead of her opening main-draw match in Washington. The gathering was a way for fans to briefly get away from the hustle and bustle of the courts, and experience meeting a former World No. 1 in a personal way, just how family cookouts are meant to be.

Plus, complimentary barbecue sandwiches and beverages were offered to fans in a fan-friendly atmosphere that saw Osaka in charge of the music selection -- she made sure of that.

"By the way, first 50 people get a free drink and some barbecue. And I'll be on the aux," Osaka wrote on social media.

Osaka also encouraged fans to showcase their best outfits, similar to how Osaka brings out some of the most iconic walk-on dresses on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. During her media session, Osaka discussed how fashion is a unique way for her to push herself out of her introverted personality and comfort zone. It's a way for her to branch out, and connect with people she's never met before, just like she did Monday with her fan gathering at the DC Open.

"Being a tennis player, I could probably sit in front of this mic and talk about tennis for a really long time because it's a world that I'm used to. Kind of branching out, doing the fashion stuff has made me talk to people that I've never met before and things like that," Osaka said Sunday. "I'm just trying to go into worlds that I've never imagined myself sort of being in before."

With a bye into the second round, Osaka will face either Ashlyn Krueger or Katie Boulter.

Highlights from the Front Porch fan area

Venus, Shnaider move on in DC doubles

Venus Williams and Diana Shnaider are through to the quarterfinals of the doubles draw in Washington. The last-minute pairing cruised with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Quinn Gleason and Ulrikke Eikeri.

Just days ahead of the tournament, Shnaider was slated to only play in singles draw, where she has a bye into the second round. However, Williams, who received a singles and doubles wild card for the event, needed to re-pair for the latter, having originally scheduled to play with Alexandra Eala, who wanted to prioritize singles.

Shnaider was having a typical team lunch when Mubadala DC Open chairman Mark Ein came up to their table and asked if Shnaider would want to play doubles with Williams.

"I was just having lunch with my team, then Mark just came: 'Do you want to play doubles with Venus?,'" Shnaider said to press after their win Monday. "We were, like, 'I feel like maybe you should ask her first, but we would love that [laughing]. Yeah, maybe ask her first, but yes it was literally last-minute."

Turns out Williams was already on board.

"I know she's had success on the doubles court. I've seen her play well, so I thought,' okay, we could be a really good team,'" Williams said. So I'm really happy that she said yes, because it's a long US Open series, and you have to save your energy. Playing two events is not easy. I think it was the right choice, though."

"It was definitely the right choice, it was worth it," Shnaider added.

The pairing seemed in unison Monday for limited practice time.

"I said to Diana in the middle of the match, 'Now we've reached the fun zone, we're having fun,'" Williams said. "We got there today where we were having fun with the challenge of the game, because it's most certainly a challenge."

In their victory during the "fun zone," the duo arguably had the shot of the day in Washington. With their backs against the wall -- quite literally as Shnaider hit the back wall during the point -- they somehow won this incredible point with a Williams backhand winner.

Check it out for yourself.