After a fascinating week of tennis across the tour, finals day has arrived at the WTA 250 Cluj-Napoca, and fans are in for a championship showdown between two of the top three seeds. From a tournament perspective, this matchup represents a near-perfect scenario, as home favourite Sorana Cirstea takes on crowd favourite and the biggest name in the draw, Emma Raducanu. As always, LWOT will offer a complete prediction of what to expect on championship Sunday at every tournament currently taking place.

WTA Cluj-Napoca Final Prediction
Emma Raducanu vs Sorana Cirstea

Head-to-head: Raducanu 1-0 Cirstea

Both players arrive in the final in outstanding form. Top seed Emma Raducanu has dropped just one set on her way to the title match, while Sorana Cirstea has produced a near-flawless run, failing to lose a set and conceding more than four games in a set only once throughout the week.

Because of that, the final should largely come down to which player takes control early and imposes her game more effectively. Cirstea will aim to dictate with her big first serve, using it to set the tempo and create consistent plus-one opportunities off both wings. In addition, her naturally aggressive instincts should push her into backhand-to-backhand exchanges, an area where her powerful backhand can cause damage, particularly if Raducanu allows the momentum to swing away from her.

That said, Raducanu has displayed impressive composure in her first tournament since splitting with Francisco Roig. Most notably, she showed strong temperament in the semifinals to reach her first tour final since her remarkable run in New York nearly five years ago. In this matchup, Raducanu will look to lean into her added variety, continue pressing with her forehand as she has throughout the week, and actively seek net exchanges in order to disrupt Cirstea’s rhythm.

Ultimately, while Cirstea has arguably played the cleaner and more dominant tennis across the tournament, Raducanu feels overdue for a title. With that in mind, and backed by a lively crowd, I expect her to finally bring an end to that long drought.

Prediction: Raducanu in 3

Main Photo Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images