Cirstea, Soon To Retire, Routs Raducanu for Emotional Title on Home Soil

A dream moment, in her final season. 

35-year-old Sorana Cirstea, who recently announced that 2026 would be her final season on tour, was a 6-0, 6-2 winner over No. 1-seeded Emma Raducanu, as she claimed her title at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoc, Romania. It was Cirstea’s fourth career title, and the final required only 63 minutes.

“Someone please pinch me, because this is a dream come true,” 36th-ranked Cirstea said afterward. “I still can’t believe that I’m holding the trophy as champion here in Cluj. I am so happy, I cannot describe it in words.” 

Winning a title on home soil was an emotional achievement for Cirstea, who was handed the trophy by Romanian legend Simona Halep. 

Cirstea didn’t drop a set and recorded three bagel sets in her five matches. 

1r: d. K. RAKHIMOVA (#93) 6-4 6-4 (1h 40m)

2r: d. T. ZIDANSEK (#153) 6-1 6-0 (53m)

QF: d. A. POTAPOVA (#58) 7-5 6-4 (2h 1m)

SF: d. D. SNIGUR (#144) 6-0 6-3 (56m)

F: d. E. Raducanu (#30) 6-0, 6-2 (63m)

Raducanu was playing in her first tour-level final since winning the 2021 US Open, where she was the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era.

“Sorry, today I didn’t bring my best,” Raducanu said afterward. “Honestly, it’s been a while since I gave one of these speeches.