Emma Raducanu LOSES her first ultimate in nearly 5 years in straight units on the Transylvania Open – after requiring medical consideration on court docket
Emma Raducanu‘s quest for a first title since 2021 ended with a whimper as she lost in straight sets to Sorana Cirstea in the Transylvania Open final.
The 23-year-old was thrashed 6-0, 6-2 on the hard court in Cluj-Napoca in a final marred by health and fitness issues, leaving her needing a medical timeout.
Reaching her first final since her 2021 US Open triumph is a step forward for Raducanu, particularly after her sticky start to the season.
Bromley’s golden girl had, after all, crashed out of the Australian Open in the first round in January in straight sets to the world No 55 Anastasia Potapova.
She thus swung the axe on her coach Franciso Roig after a mere six months, leaving her searching for a 10th trainer of her career as she touched down in Romania, the homeland of her father Ion.
And there are plenty of positives to take from this week in the jewel of northeastern Romania. Raducanu showed a never-say-die spirit to recover from 5-0 down against Kaja Juvan in the second round, before overturning a set deficit in the semis against Oleksandra Oliynykova, a ‘brutal’ battle during which she hurt her shoulder.
Emma Raducanu had to settle for second-best in the Transylvania Open final on Saturday
The British No 1 lost 6-0, 6-2 to Sorana Cirstea in her first final since her US Open triumph
She required a medical timeout in the second set and looked off the pace throughout the tie
But a clash against Cirstea, the 35-year-old native playing her final season of her career, proved a step too far.
A jaded Raducanu managed just 31 points from 89, scored no aces, and recorded six double faults as she was overpowered by her opponent.
The first set was the cruellest. Raducanu scored a mere 11 points on her way to a 6-0 dismantling, giving a foreboding prognosis for the rest of the match.
It looked as if the second set would be equally unkind when she was immediately broken and then went 2-0 down, but Raducanu summoned a fighting spirit.
She broke her opponent in return and then clawed the set back to 2-2, but required medical attention between those only victorious games.
The British No 1 took a medical timeout at 2-1 down, with doctors rushing over to take her blood pressure while she appeared to be struggling with her breathing.
After restoring parity in the second set, she struggled to compete physically, abandoning her pursuit of balls that she would have easily captured on another day, and was duly vanquished in the WTA 250 final.
‘I want to say thank you to all the ball kids, all the umpires, all the sponsors who made this tournament possible. There’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes. I want to thank the public. You really made me feel at home this week,’ she said.
It has been a long road back to a final since Raducanu defeated Leylah Fernandez in 2021
‘Sorry today I couldn’t bring my best. But congratulations as well to Sorana you’ve had an incredible week. I think you’re playing great tennis. I don’t know if this is your last tournament in Cluj here, but I know if it was me I’d be out on a high. Congrats for everything.
‘Honestly it’s been a while since I’ve given one of these speeches. I wanna thank Alexis and the people back home who’ve supported me throughout the last few years.
‘It’s been like four or five years since my last final. It means a lot. I’m really happy it’s here in Cluj.’
If she is fit to compete, the relentless grind continues on Monday, where she faces Colombia’s Camila Osorio in the first round of the WTA 1000 Qatar Open in Doha.
