Emma Raducanu’s bid for a first title since 2021 ended in a swift 6-0, 6-2 defeat to home favorite Sorana Cirstea at the Transylvania Open.
The 23-year-old Briton, hampered by a chest infection and exhaustion from a three-hour semi-final, was outclassed in just 63 minutes.
After losing the first set without winning a game, Raducanu required a medical timeout for a blood pressure check.
Though she briefly rallied to level the second set at 2-2, the 35-year-old Cirstea regained control to claim her fourth career title.
Despite the lopsided loss, Raducanu remained optimistic about her first final in years. “I was pretty gassed from the start,” she told BBC Sport. “But for me, zero complaints. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Raducanu, who recently split with her ninth coach since her US Open win, now heads to the Qatar Open to face Camila Osorio in the first round.
