Emma Raducanu endured a difficult afternoon as she suffered a heavy defeat to Sorana Cirstea in her first final for five years at the Cluj-Napoca tournament. The British player appeared physically depleted and was unable to mount a sustained challenge against the experienced Romanian, losing 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour.
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The week in Romania had offered positives for Raducanu following an underwhelming Australian Open, with a run of matches providing much-needed momentum. However, the final exposed ongoing concerns around stamina, particularly after she played five matches in a single week for the first time since her 2021 US Open triumph. A lengthy semi-final on Friday appeared to take a toll, leaving her short of energy by Saturday.
Cirstea, by contrast, arrived fresher after a swift semi-final victory and imposed a simple, aggressive game plan built around depth and consistency. She controlled rallies with ease, capitalising on Raducanu’s growing unforced errors and limited movement, while remaining unbeaten in sets throughout the tournament.
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Despite the defeat, the runner-up finish represents a step forward for Raducanu, who will rise to world number 25 in the rankings. She described the week as encouraging overall, acknowledging fatigue on the day but highlighting the value of returning to a final and competing regularly again on the tour.
