This was another impressive win for Raducanu, whose opening victory back on home soil against Anna Blinkova was her first win since Indian Wells in March.
The British number one’s season has since been disrupted by a post-viral illness that kept her off the WTA Tour for more than two months, and she lost her only two matches on her return – in Strasbourg and at the French Open – prior to this tournament.
Raducanu was comprehensively beaten by Cirstea in February, losing 6-0 6-2 in the Romanian’s homeland, but was quick to assert herself as she produced another encouraging display in front of her home crowd in London.
Racing into a 4-0 lead, Raducanu held firm after Cirstea pulled one break back in the first set, before taking her two break point opportunities in the second and serving out the match untroubled.
“It feels incredible to come out and play how I did today against Sorana. Earlier in the year she beat me, but I’m really glad I could get her back at home,” Raducanu said.
“I think I played at a really high level, I knew I had to go out and play aggressively and dictate.
“As soon as I took my foot off the gas a little bit, she was coming back.”
