Emma Raducanu made a brilliant return to competitive tennis on Monday, crushing Belgium's Greet Minnen 6-0 6-4 at the Transylvania Open in Cluj-Napoca.
It was the British number one's first outing since ending her partnership with Francis Roig, Rafael Nadal's former coach, following her second-round exit at the Australian Open.
The 23-year-old had spoken about wanting to "re-evaluate" her approach after that Melbourne disappointment, and this commanding performance suggests she's already finding her feet again.
The world number 30 looked completely at ease as she dismantled her Belgian opponent in front of an enthusiastic Romanian crowd.
Emma Raducanu returned to winning ways at the Transylvania Open
|REUTERS
Raducanu wasted absolutely no time in the opening set, wrapping it up in a mere 25 minutes with a bagel that showed just how sharp her game was.
She came out swinging from the very first point, displaying the kind of aggressive tennis that fans love to see from her.
The second set proved trickier as Minnen dug in and offered more resistance, but Raducanu secured a crucial break in the third game and never looked back.
Next up for the top seed is Slovenian Kaja Juvan, ranked 97th in the world, when they meet on Wednesday.
Emma Raducanu soars through the first set, 6-0💪@EmmaRaducanu | #ClujNapoca pic.twitter.com/ryNs6t48Qn
— wta (@WTA) February 2, 2026
Being back in Romania clearly meant the world to Raducanu, whose father Ion hails from the country.
It had been five years since she last competed in Cluj-Napoca, making this return all the more special.
"Very happy today. I think I played a great match from the beginning. I was super aggressive and the crowd from the minute I walked out was incredible," she said afterwards.
The match took place with former Wimbledon champion Simona Halep watching on, as the Romanian legend serves as an honorary ambassador for the tournament.
Raducanu added that the indoor conditions suited her attacking style perfectly.
"I think today was a great performance. I wanted to put my game out on the court and it's a little bit easier indoors so I'm really pleased I could kind of use that," Raducanu explained.
Emma Raducanu had crashed out of the Australian Open at the second round
|REUTERS
She's now working with Alexis Canter, a former British professional player who joined her team for this Romanian trip.
It's the latest coaching change for someone who has cycled through nine different mentors since her remarkable 2021 US Open triumph.
After wrapping up in Transylvania, Raducanu heads to the Middle East for the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai later this month.
Indian Wells and the Miami Open follow in March.