Emma Raducanu pulled off a stunning fightback at the Transylvania Open this evening, recovering from a seemingly hopeless position to beat Kaja Juvan 7-5 6-1 and book her spot in the quarter-finals.
The British No.1 found herself trailing 5-0 after just 25 minutes against the world No.97 from Slovenia, looking visibly frustrated with her performance.
But what followed was nothing short of remarkable.
This marks Raducanu’s first tournament since parting ways with coach Francis Roig following her early exit from the Australian Open, and she certainly made a statement with this extraordinary turnaround in Cluj-Napoca.
Emma Raducanu came from 5-0 down to secure an incredible victory
| GETTY
The top seed was broken in each of her first three service games, handing Juvan a commanding advantage that looked insurmountable.
Then everything changed.
Raducanu rattled off five games in just 22 minutes to level the set at 5-5, showing the fighting spirit that made her a Grand Slam champion back in 2021.
She held serve before breaking her opponent for a fourth time, converting her second set point to clinch the opener 7-5 after an hour and two minutes.
The second set proved far more straightforward as she maintained her incredible momentum, winning 11 games on the bounce to complete the transformation.
Emma Raducanu admitted she had never managed such a comeback in her life
| REUTERS
Speaking to the crowd after her victory, Raducanu expressed her gratitude for their backing during those difficult early moments.
“Thank you for the support, it really got me through some tricky moments in that first set,” she said.
“I have to say Kaja was playing some great tennis, was putting me on the back foot straightaway.
“I thought I was being aggressive, going for my shots, but I was missing and not executing.
“At least I can say I was trying to play on my terms. That was the goal for me. I don’t think I’ve ever come back from 5-0 down before so that’s a first to add to the experience.”
Raducanu’s next challenge comes in the form of Maja Chwalinska, the Polish qualifier ranked 146th in the world who impressed with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 victory over seventh seed Olga Danilovic.
Should the 23-year-old progress, she’ll face either Chinese fourth seed Wang Xiyu or Ukraine’s Oleksandra Oliynykova, who became an internet sensation at the Australian Open thanks to her tattoos.
This is Raducanu’s first appearance at this event since 2021, when she fell to Marta Kostyuk at the same stage, managing just three games.
The tournament winner takes home £27,172 and 250 ranking points, with Raducanu already securing 54 for reaching the last eight.
