Emma Raducanu unleashes Romanian to tell locals she loves them after picking up win

Making dad proud: Emma Raducanu pays tribute to her Romanian father with victory message in his native language after her first win since US Open at the Transylvanian Open

  • Emma Raducanu has won her first tennis match since her US Open victory
  • The British No 1 beat world No 124 Polona Hercog at the Transylvania Open
  • Raducanu lost the first set 6-4 after startlingly losing five games in succession
  • But she responded valiantly to take a 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory in Cluj-Napoca
  • She then charmed the locals by speaking Romanian in her post-match interview


Emma Raducanu unleashed her Romanian half to tell the locals she loves them after picking up her first win since her US Open title at the Transylvanian Open.  

Before charming an almost empty stadium by speaking in Romanian she defeated experienced Slovenian Polona Hercog 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 to make the second round, in which she will face Ana Bogdan. 

‘It means a lot to play in my Dad’s country,’ she said after completing a win in two hours and 28 minutes.

Raducanu then tweeted after the game: ‘super happy to get my first ever WTA win today. Multumesc mult si, te iubesc.’

The Romanian part of the tweet, translated, reads: ‘Thank you very much and I love you.’

Emma Raducanu tweeted following her first win since her US Open success at the Transylvanian Open

The British No 1 has Romanian roots and posted this rooftop selfie following her latest victory

The British No 1 has Romanian roots and posted this rooftop selfie following her latest victory

Raducanu won her first match since her US Open triumph at the Transylvania Open

Raducanu won her first match since her US Open triumph at the Transylvania Open

Raducanu with father Ian. The tennis ace said 'it means a lot to play in my dad's country' following her win in the Transylvanian Open

Raducanu with father Ian. The tennis ace said ‘it means a lot to play in my dad’s country’ following her win in the Transylvanian Open

This was an ideal contest for her, and incredibly the first time she has won a match on the tour at this level.

Raducanu started promisingly before the largely deserted stands forced upon this event by new Romanian government regulations.

She swept to a 4-1 lead after winning a sixth break point in a marathon second game of the match.

It was not long before the highly motivated Hercog was showing why she was once ranked 35 in the world, cutting out the errors and taking advantage of her opponent’s reducing level of confidence on the serve.

The British No 1 beat stubborn Slovenian Polona Hercog (pictured) who took the first set in Cluj

The British No 1 beat stubborn Slovenian Polona Hercog (pictured) who took the first set in Cluj

Raducanu struggled early on and lost the first set after alarmingly losing five games in a row

Raducanu struggled early on and lost the first set after alarmingly losing five games in a row

Raducanu’s forehand was also becoming shaky and occasionally impetuous, and at 4-4 she shanked one badly wide to seal getting broken to love.

Steadying herself at the start of the second, the US Open champion forced three break points at 2-1 against the rangy Slovenian. 

As with Aliaksandra Sasnovich at Indian Wells she was playing well above her ranking of 124, but that is to be expected with Raducanu wearing her new target.

There was certainly nothing end-of-season about the determined Hercog, who had not beaten a top 100 player since Roland Garros.

But the 18-year-old recovered in stunning fashion to move into round two later this week

But the 18-year-old recovered in stunning fashion to move into round two later this week

Raducanu looked in serious trouble when faced with a break point at 4-4 but played her way out of trouble with the help of an ace. There was more trouble at 5-5 and another break point but she survived with a low, skidding backhand.

She created a first set point in the next game, but could only send her backhand return of serve long. 

A double fault provided another one but she could not handle the angled drive of Hercog. On the third her opponent obliged by sending the ball long.

That seemed to deflate the Slovenian and pump up Raducanu, who powered ahead to 3-0 in the decider and comfortably held on from there to claim it on her fourth match point.

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