In her final year on the professional tour and at her last appearance in the Transylvania Open main draw, Sorana Cîrstea gave herself the most beautiful gift possible: a new WTA title — the fourth of her career — made even more special by the fact that it came at home, in Romania.
“I will retire from tennis at the end of this year, and I will retire a happy person — and that is thanks to the memories you gave me this week in Cluj!” Sorana said in her emotional on-court speech.
She played today’s final just as she had played all week — impressively — and secured a clear 6–0, 6–2 victory over Emma Raducanu.
Sorana thanked everyone who made possible what she called “a wonderful tournament, the best WTA 250 event and one of the best on the tour,” and then wished Emma Raducanu — her opponent in the final — to return to Cluj and win the trophy herself one day.
The Transylvania Open final brought together two players who reached this stage through different, yet equally convincing paths. Sorana Cîrstea dominated all her matches throughout the week, not dropping a single set on her way to the trophy. Emma Raducanu, on the other hand, had to battle hard in every round, excelling whenever the situation demanded it.
For Sorana, this was not just another title. It was her first WTA tournament victory on Romanian soil, achieved at her final appearance in Cluj and in the last season of her career. Such a result could hardly carry greater meaning or joy. For Emma, it would have been her first WTA title and her second career trophy since the US Open, five years later.
In context, regardless of the outcome, the match was charged with significance. Two accomplished players, who had both confirmed their status throughout the week, met in a final that, to varying degrees, could redefine their careers.
