Raducanu Ends Four-Year Wait With Gritty Transylvania Open Final Berth

Emma Raducanu has done it again—after a drought of more than four years, the British No. 1 is back in a WTA final, overcoming a gritty challenge from Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova in the semi-finals of the 2026 Transylvania Open. The contest, held in Cluj-Napoca on February 6, 2026, was a marathon three-setter that kept fans on the edge of their seats for well over two and a half hours, ultimately ending 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in Raducanu’s favor.

For Raducanu, this marks her first final appearance since her historic run at the 2021 US Open—a span of 1,610 days and a journey filled with ups, downs, and plenty of questions about whether the Brit could ever recapture the magic of her teenage triumph. But on the hard courts of Romania, Raducanu showed resilience and maturity, blending aggressive baseline play with tactical patience to outlast an opponent who simply refused to fade away.

The match itself was a study in perseverance. Oliynykova, ranked World No. 91, entered the semi-final on a high after upsetting World No. 33 Xinyu Wang and defeating seeded players like Anna Bondar. The Ukrainian’s story is remarkable: still living and training in Kyiv, she almost missed the tournament due to a power outage in her building and only made it to Cluj with about ten minutes to spare, according to Sky Sports commentator Ravi Ubha. Yet once on court, she proved more than a handful, especially for a Raducanu who had come into the tournament on the back of a disappointing Australian Open exit to Anastasia Potapova.

Raducanu’s road to the semi-final had been smooth—she dispatched Greet Minnen, Kaja Juvan, and Maja Chwalinska in straight sets, not dropping a single set along the way. But against Oliynykova, things got complicated fast. The opening set was a tense affair, with both players holding serve and refusing to blink until the ninth game. Raducanu finally forced an error from Oliynykova to break, but the Ukrainian wasn’t done—she broke back to level at 5-5, before Raducanu rallied to break again and serve for the set.

There was a moment of real concern for Raducanu fans as she called for a medical timeout before serving for the first set. The trainer worked on her right shoulder, performing stretches and movements. But rather than falter, Raducanu came out firing, serving out the set to love and showing no signs of discomfort—at least for the moment.

Oliynykova, known for her facial tattoos of bats—a nod to Transylvania’s vampire legends—used her trademark moon-balling and stubborn defense to trouble Raducanu throughout. The second set saw the Ukrainian raise her level, breaking Raducanu’s serve to take control and reeling off five games in a row to claim the set 6-3. Frustration was visible on Raducanu’s face, but she didn’t let it get the better of her.

The deciding set was a rollercoaster. Oliynykova broke first, but Raducanu dug deep, breaking back at the fourth attempt and then holding serve to love to go up 5-2. The Ukrainian wasn’t finished—she saved three match points and forced Raducanu to serve it out under immense pressure. Twice, Oliynykova held break points, but Raducanu’s composure held firm. After a final, tense rally, the Brit clinched victory, dropping to her knees in relief and joy.

Match statistics tell the story of a closely contested battle: Raducanu finished with 26 winners and 44 unforced errors, while Oliynykova had 37 winners and 61 unforced errors. Both players struggled with double faults—five for Raducanu and six for Oliynykova—but Raducanu’s 74% first serve percentage and six breaks of serve from fourteen opportunities proved decisive. The Brit won 106 total points to Oliynykova’s 94, reflecting just how razor-thin the margins were.

After the match, an exhausted but elated Raducanu addressed the Romanian crowd, who had been firmly behind her throughout. “What an incredible match, I think all props to my opponent today, she played incredible, makes it so tricky to put any ball past her,” Raducanu said. “You think it’s past her, and then the ball is on your baseline or your sideline, it’s so difficult. Just most proud of how I competed, how I came back in the third set, how I managed the match, and honestly, I don’t know if I could have done it without everyone’s support today, so thank you so much.”

Raducanu’s connection to the Romanian crowd was palpable. She repeatedly shouted “Hajde!”—a Balkan rallying cry—during tight moments, a habit she says dates back to her junior days. “When the Hajde’s come out, it means I’m getting really gritty!” she explained. “It kind of comes out, since juniors, whenever it was really tight, it would just come out, I guess that’s when the true competitor comes out in me. I’m really happy with how I came through this. It’s really nice to hear everyone’s support and everyone’s Hajde’s, so let’s go!”

This run to the final is especially meaningful for Raducanu, who entered the tournament without a coach, having parted ways with Francisco Roig—her 10th coach in as many years—just six months prior. Rather than dwell on the uncertainty, she’s let her tennis do the talking in Cluj-Napoca. “I’m most proud of how I competed, how I came back in the third set and how I managed the match,” Raducanu reiterated in her post-match comments.

Oliynykova, for her part, leaves the tournament with her head held high. Her deep run in Cluj-Napoca, including wins over higher-ranked opponents and a near-miss against the top seed, will see her rise 20 places in the live WTA rankings, potentially breaking into the top 75 for the first time in her career. The Ukrainian’s resilience—both on and off the court—was one of the week’s standout stories.

As for Raducanu, the final awaits. She’ll face either third seed Sorana Cirstea or Ukrainian qualifier Daria Snigur for the Transylvania Open title on Saturday, February 7. Will this be the moment the 2021 US Open champion finally adds another WTA trophy to her cabinet? One thing’s for sure: after a week of thrilling tennis, the eyes of the tennis world will be firmly fixed on Cluj-Napoca.

For now, Raducanu can savor a hard-fought victory, a place in the final, and the knowledge that—after years of searching—she’s once again within reach of tennis glory.