Emma Raducanu is heading back to Romania for the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca, and it’s a tournament that clearly means a lot to her.
The British number one has added the WTA 250 event to her schedule, marking her first appearance at the competition since 2021.
It’s something of a homecoming for the 2021 US Open champion, whose father Ion hails from Bucharest.
Raducanu speaks Romanian fluently, so she’ll feel right at home when the indoor hard-court tournament gets underway at the end of January.
Emma Raducanu will take part in the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca
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The 23-year-old last played in Cluj just weeks after her stunning Flushing Meadows triumph.
Her 2026 campaign hasn’t exactly got off to a flying start, though.
Raducanu endured a tough time at the United Cup, where she was representing Great Britain in Perth.
She had to pull out of her opening match against Naomi Osaka due to injury, before falling to Maria Sakkari 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on Monday, which knocked Britain out of the competition.
It turns out the world number 29 had been dealing with light bone bruising in her right foot during the off-season.
Emma Raducanu had had trouble with injuries in recent years
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She went two-and-a-half months without picking up a racket, spending her time in the gym instead during a training block in Barcelona.
Despite the rocky start, Raducanu has a brilliant opportunity waiting for her in Romania.
She’s set to be the top seed at the Transylvania Open, which gives her a genuine shot at claiming her second career title.
The 22-year-old hasn’t reached a final since that magical run at Flushing Meadows back in 2021.
The draw looks favourable too, with Romanian pair Jacqueline Cristian and Sorana Cirstea the only other top-50 players entered so far.
Cristian sits at 38th in the world rankings, while Cirstea, who is retiring this season, is ranked 41st.
Defending champion Anastasia Potapova, currently world number 55, will also be competing.
The tournament kicks off on January 31 and wraps up on February 7, running at the same time as the Australian Open women’s singles final.
By choosing Cluj, Raducanu will miss the Abu Dhabi Open, a WTA 500 event she played in both 2024 and 2025.
Her previous trip to Transylvania proved memorable, as she won her very first WTA main draw match there.
Raducanu beat Polona Hercog and Ana Bogdan before Marta Kostyuk ended her run in the quarter-finals.
That tournament served as a launching pad just months before she shocked the tennis world at Flushing Meadows.
