Emma Raducanu said it was "emotionally and physically difficult" for her to play the Cluj-Napoca final, but refused to be pessimistic and noted that she was very proud of making her first final in five years.
The Briton, who wrote tennis history by becoming the first ever male or female player to win a Grand Slam as a qualifier, played in a title match for the first since September 2021. Unfortunately for the 23-year-old, it didn't go well after she suffered a heavy 0-6 2-6 loss to Sorana Cirstea in the Cluj-Napoca title match.
Right out of the gate, it was clear that Raducanu would have a tough day at the office – the No. 1 seed dropped the opening eight games of the match and was also visited by a doctor to have her blood pressure checked. While the British tennis player managed to briefly get back into the match and even the second set to two games apiece, it didni't change much as Cirstea went on wo win the next four games and the final.
The stat show the best what kind of a day it was for Raducanu as she finished with three double faults, 19 unforced errors, lost her serve six times, and hit just one winner.
Raducanu: The match was very difficult – emotionally and physically
“I used all of my resilience today. The match was very difficult – emotionally and physically. It required a lot of patience and a lot of mental strength, so I’m satisfied now. Winning four matches in a row is not something I’ve managed very often. But now that I feel this fatigue, these aches in my body, I see them as rewards for being in the final – I know it’s all worth it," the former world No. 10 said after the final.
Unless Raducanu makes a last-minute change, she will now instantly fly to Doha, where she is due to meet qualifier Camila Osorio in the first round.
