- Raducanu beats Polona Hercog 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 at Transylvania Open
- British No 1 digs deep for maiden victory at a WTA tournament
Emma Raducanu is the US Open champion, she has reached the second week of Wimbledon and her name is already known across the world. And yet, in the silence of a spacious stadium in Cluj-Napoca before only a smattering of tournament staff and affiliates, the 18-year-old ticked off two of the many elementary achievements every top 100 player aside from her had long completed: she played a tour-level three-set match for the first time, and she won her first match at a WTA tournament.
It took considerable grit in an extremely tough contest that she very nearly lost, but Raducanu shrugged off her frustration and elevated her level in the pivotal moments to recover from a set down and defeat Polona Hercog of Slovenia 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. It is Raducanu’s first win since her New York triumph and she will face the home favourite Ana Bogdan in the second round of the Transylvania Open.