Emma Raducanu is currently in Romania, competing in the 2026 Transylvania Open. Ahead of her semifinals match, the Brit discussed her game plan and how she needs to proceed to secure a spot in the final.
Before the WTA 250 hard-court tournament in Cluj-Napoca, Raducanu participated in the 2026 Australian Open. Seeded 28th at the Grand Slam tournament, she defeated Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the first round before losing to Anastasia Potapova in the second round.
Emma Raducanu Makes Her Feelings Known Ahead of Transylvania Open SF Match
Raducanu is the top seed at the 2026 Transylvania Open, and she triumphed over Greet Minnen (6-0, 6-4) in the first round and overcame Kaja Juvan (7-5, 6-1) in the second round. She secured her place in the semifinals against Oleksandra Oliynykova by eliminating qualifier Maja Chwalińska (6-0, 6-4) in the quarterfinals.
During a press conference ahead of her semifinals match, Raducanu spoke about facing Oliynykova. She stated that she needs to be on “high alert,” be “super ready,” and “sharp,” as the Ukrainian has defeated “tricky opponents” throughout the tournament. She also highlighted Oliynykova’s “high-quality match” against Madison Keys at the Australian Open.
“I haven’t seen much of her play, but I know she’s been playing well and obviously came through some really tricky opponents and also had a really high-quality match with Madison Keys at the Australian Open. So I need to be on high alert. I need to be super ready and sharp tomorrow. But I’m looking forward to the challenge after I have some time to rest and recover,” Raducanu said.
The former World No. 10 stated that tennis players are remarkably resilient athletes who often face losses but manage to move on, mentally reset, and give their best in upcoming tournaments.
“I think you need incredible resilience. It’s a sport where most players lose every single week, and to go out the next week and let losses go, let them slide, and try to focus and give your all for the week ahead is tough.
“And the way the scoring system works, you can be a point away from winning and then end up losing the match with a change of momentum. And to mentally come over that, it’s not like another sport where you can run the clock down. It’s really unique,” she continued.
Raducanu remarked that tennis is likely one of the most mentally challenging sports, but she also acknowledged that it offers significant “rewards” and “glory.”
“You have to go out and take it, and you have to go out and win the last point. So I think that’s what makes tennis so difficult, and I think every tennis player will agree it’s probably mentally one of the most difficult sports to play. It also comes with amazing rewards and great glory as well. So it comes with the territory,” Raducanu added.
The winner of the semifinals match between Raducanu and Oliynykova at the 2026 Transylvania Open will advance to face either the third seed, Sorana Cîrstea, or qualifier Daria Snigur in the final of the tournament.