Emma Raducanu made her long-awaited return to Romania this week for the Transylvania Open, her first visit to the country in five years. The 23-year-old British tennis star arrives in Cluj-Napoca as the top seed for the WTA 250 tournament, but beyond professional tennis lies a deeply personal journey rooted in family and heritage.
During an exclusive interview, Raducanu spoke candidly about her connection to Romania and what it means to return to a place that shaped so much of her identity as a child.
Emma Raducanu Opens Up About Her Connection with Romania
During a recent interview, Raducanu expressed her longing for Romania and what this return means to her. “I’m glad to be back here after five years. It’s a great tournament with kind people, and I had a warm welcome. I really missed Romania,” she shared.
The most lovely part of her remarks focused on her grandmother. “My grandmother is from here, but I haven’t been able to visit her for a long time. I hope I can go to her in Bucharest after the tournament,” she explained.
When describing the feeling of belonging to Romania, Raducanu joked, “I feel Romanian. I understand everything that is said around me, so don’t talk bad about me.” She concluded, “When I come here and hear words in Romanian, I remember the humor I grew up with. It’s beautiful. Romanian jokes are about making fun of someone, and that’s seen as an act of love. I learned that from my father. It’s very beautiful here.”
Born in Toronto, Canada, in 2002, Raducanu had a very diverse cultural background at home. Her father, Ion Raducanu, is from Bucharest, Romania, while her mother, Renee Zhai, is from Shenyang in northeast China. When Raducanu was just two years old, her family relocated from Canada to southeast London, England, where she has spent the majority of her life.
Despite being raised primarily in Britain, her family made sure to maintain connections to both the Romanian and Chinese sides, ensuring that their daughter grew up fluent in English, Mandarin, and Romanian.
Raducanu Looking to Gain Momentum After Training in Barcelona
Raducanu spent her pre-season training in Barcelona with coach Francisco Roig, the renowned Spanish coach who previously worked extensively with Rafael Nadal during his legendary career. This partnership, which began in August 2025, represents a crucial shift as she focuses on what she calls developing a “better base level” in her overall game.
MORE: Emma Raducanu vs Greet Minnen Preview: Head-to-Head, Prediction, for Transylvania Open 2026
Her 2026 season opened in Perth at the United Cup, where she faced Greek player Maria Sakkari in a three-set match, losing 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, marking Raducanu’s first loss to Sakkari. This also marked her first professional match since mid-October after ending her 2025 season early due to physical struggles. She then entered the Hobart International as the top seed, securing her first win of 2026 against Camila Osorio with a score of 6-3, 7-6(2).
However, her campaign came to an abrupt end when Australian wild-card Taylah Preston defeated her 6-2, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
Raducanu then entered the Australian Open as the 28th seed and secured an impressive victory against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew, winning 6-4, 6-1. Her Melbourne run ended in the second round as Anastasia Potapova proved too strong, defeating her 7-6(3), 6-2 in straight sets.
Now, as the clear favorite in the Transylvania Open, Raducanu looks to build momentum and continue improving with Roig for the upcoming tournaments to finish this year strongly. She is set to face Belgian Greet Minnen in the first round match on Monday, Feb. 2, on the Center Court.
