Emma Raducanu on Verge of Second WTA Title

Emma Raducanu has only won one WTA Tour-level title in her career: the 2021 US Open. Since then, Raducanu has battled injuries and a revolving door of coaches to try to reach her highest level of play. No player has faced more scrutiny as a "one-hit wonder" than the 23-year-old.

The top-ranked British women's player is now just two wins away from her second WTA title. Raducanu is the one-seed in the Transylvania Open and has not dropped a set in the WTA 250 event. That includes today's quarterfinal victory over Maja Chwalińska: 6-0, 6-4.

All gas, no brakes🏎️

Emma Raducanu speeds into the semifinals defeating Chwalinska in straight sets! She's only dropped 14 games this week🔥#EmmaRaducanu #TO2026 pic.twitter.com/lxtR4ZznUa
— wta (@WTA) February 5, 2026

Raducanu's Favorable Draw

Raducanu already had a favorable draw before Chwalińska upset the seventh-seeded Olga Danilović earlier this week. The ball continues to bounce Raducanu's way as she will face World No. 91 Oleksandra Oliynykova in the semifinal. Oliynykova upset the fourth-seeded Xinyu Wang today.

Raducanu's path to the final is far from certain, as she has only faced Oliynykova once before in a 2018 victory in Nanjing. If Raducanu can get past Oliynykova in the semifinal, all attention will shift to the other side of the draw.

Oleksandra Oliynykova defeats Xinyu Wang 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first ever WTA tour semifinal in Cluj.

25 year old Ukrainian was making her WTA tour main draw debut this week.

Up to a new career high of 71 in the live rankings.

Was ranked 290 + this time last year. pic.twitter.com/rRAuSZbH8b
— edgeAI (@edgeAIapp) February 5, 2026

Raducanu's Possible Final Match

Anastasia Potapova will face Sorana Cîrstea later today, and the winner of that match will face either Yue Yuan or Daria Snigur. So, a potential finals showdown between Raducanu and Potapova or Cîrstea seems like the most likely scenario.

That would present a challenge, as Potapova just defeated Raducanu in straight sets in the second round of the Australian Open before losing a hard-fought match to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Raducanu beat Cîrstea at Wimbledon 2021.

Emma Raducanu is into the semifinal in Cluj. She is serving excellently this tournament and the forehand is consistently aggressive. She's been quite the baker here—serving bakery products so far in each match. #TO2026 pic.twitter.com/jEIBLM4but
— islandtennisgirl (@islandtennisace) February 5, 2026

Transylvania Open Importance

The Transylvania Open is an indoor hard-court tournament held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It would be poetic if Raducanu could reach her second career singles title in Cluj-Napoca, given her Romanian heritage. But tennis is rarely poetic, but harsh and unforgiving.

It will be fascinating to follow the rest of Raducanu's run in Romania. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Serve On SI for all of your tennis news from the court and beyond.

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