Emma Raducanu’s pursuit of a second WTA title ended in disappointment as she suffered a comprehensive defeat to Sorana Cirstea at the Transylvania Open final in Cluj.
The British No 1, seeded first in the tournament, was overwhelmed 6-0, 6-2 by the Romanian crowd favourite in a match lasting barely more than 60 minutes.
The loss means Raducanu remains without silverware since her remarkable US Open victory more than four years ago.
Speaking afterwards, the 23-year-old apologised for her abject display.
“I want to thank the crowd. You really made me feel at home this week. I’m sorry I couldn’t give my best today,” she said.
For Cirstea, the triumph represented a fitting reward in what will be her farewell season on the professional circuit, adding a fourth WTA crown to her collection.
Raducanu’s struggles appeared directly linked to her exhausting semi-final encounter against Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova just 24 hours earlier, a contest that pushed her to her physical limits.
Emma Raducanu’s pursuit of a second WTA title ended in disappointment as she suffered a comprehensive defeat to Sorana Cirstea at the Transylvania Open final in Cluj
|
GETTY
Against Cirstea’s powerful groundstrokes, the 2021 US Open champion simply had no response.
The opening set proved particularly brutal, with Raducanu unable to claim a single game across thirty minutes of play.
She faced immediate pressure on her serve from the outset, fighting off five break points before eventually surrendering the game.
Five facts for tennis fans | GETTY/PA
From that moment, the veteran Romanian took complete control, racing through the set without dropping a game.
The second set began in similar fashion, with Raducanu dropping her serve for a fourth consecutive time to trail 2-0.
She managed a brief revival, breaking Cirstea to love to register her first game of the match, but was then forced to take a medical timeout.
Upon returning, she held serve for the first time to draw level at 2-2, offering a glimmer of hope.
However, any momentum proved fleeting as the Romanian reeled off three straight games to move within touching distance of victory at 5-2.
Serving to extend the contest, Raducanu appeared completely spent, losing her serve for a sixth time as Cirstea clinched the championship.
Emma Raducanu was completely outplayed by Sorana Cirstea in their Transylvania Open clash
|
GETTY
Cirstea’s victory marked a memorable milestone in her two-decade professional career, securing her fourth WTA title at the age of 35.
The Romanian will retire at the end of this season, making the home triumph in Cluj a particularly poignant farewell gift to her supporters.
For Raducanu, who has Romanian heritage through her father, the defeat in front of a partisan crowd added an extra layer of frustration to an already difficult afternoon.
The British player’s wait for a second major honour continues, with her 2021 New York success remaining her sole professional title to date.
