Emma Raducanu reached her first final since her stunning 2021 US Open triumph by defeating Oleksandra Oliynykova in a gruelling three-set thriller at the Transylvania Open
Emma Raducanu bounced back from an early injury scare to defeat Oleksandra Oliynykova and secure a place in her first final since winning the US Open back in 2021.
The 23 year old Brit outplayed the Ukrainian in the semi-final of the Transylvania Open, winning 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, and will face either third seed Sorana Cirstea or Daria Snigur in Saturday’s final.
This was only Raducanu’s fourth semi-final appearance since her remarkable triumph at Flushing Meadows four-and-a-half years ago. It is the perfect tonic to a disappointing Australian Open campaign, where Raducanu was dumped out in the second round after a 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 loss to Anastasia Potapova.
This is also the British No 1’s first tournament since parting ways with Francisco Roig, who became the 10th coach to work with her just six months ago.
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Amid the scrutiny that has come with search for another new coach, Raducanu has let her tennis do the talking in Transylvania, defeating Belgium’s Greet Minnen, Slovakia’s Kaja Juven and Poland’s Maja Chwalinska without losing a single set.
She faced a formidable opponent in Oliynykova, who sports facial tattoos of bats in a nod to Transylvania’s vampire legends. The Ukrainian quickly put Raducanu under pressure, holding serve comfortably and forcing several deuces in the Brit’s opening service game.
The opening set proved a nervy battle, with neither player managing to conjure up a break point chance until the ninth game. When Raducanu’s moment arrived, she pounced, forcing Oliynkova into an error.
Before long, Raducanu found herself fending off two break points, rescuing the first with a superb lob and the second by grinding down her rival in a thrilling baseline exchange. She then fought off a third and fourth break point, but after squandering two set points herself, the Ukrainian broke back to level things at 5-5.
Oliynykova’s performance was steady, but she let a crucial service game at 5-5 slip away, enabling Raducanu to claw back to deuce and break, giving her the chance to serve for the set. Before stepping up to clinch the opener, Raducanu summoned the trainer, who performed a series of movements and stretches on her right shoulder during a medical break.
Rather than throwing in the towel, the 23 year old served out the set flawlessly without dropping a single point before going on to reach her first WTA final in almost five years.
Following her gruelling triumph, a shattered Raducanu said: “I mean what an incredible match. I think all props to my opponent today. She played incredible. She makes it so tricky to put the ball past her.
“You think it’s past her and the ball is on your baseline or on your sideline, it was so difficult. I’m most proud of how I competed, how I came back in the third set and how I managed the match. I honestly don’t know if I could have done that without everybody’s support today so thank you so much.”
