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Emma Raducanu comes through gruelling battle to reach Transylvania Open final

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Emma Raducanu is one win away from her maiden WTA Tour title after reaching the final of the Transylvania Open.

The British number one beat Oleksandra Oliynykova 7-5 3-6 6-3 in an epic semi-final to take her place in Saturday’s showpiece in Cluj.

She now has a shot at winning her first tournament since her incredible US Open success in 2021 and announcing herself as a real force on the WTA Tour.

It completed an impressive day for home tennis as Katie Boulter made it into the final of the Ostrava Open, meaning that two British women will compete in different WTA Tour finals on the same day for the first time.

What sort of physical or mental condition top seed Raducanu will be in for the final against either Sorana Cirstea or Daria Snigur remains to be seen after she made it through one of the toughest matches of her career.

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It was a war of attrition for Raducanu against the eccentric Ukrainian, who, adorned in face tattoos, adopted some frustrating tactics, including heavy use of ‘moon balling’ and slices.

The teary Briton was left physically shattered after a near three-hour battle.

“What an incredible match,” she said during her on-court interview. “I think all props to my opponent today.

“She played incredible makes it so tricky to put any ball past her. You think it’s past her, and then the ball is on your baseline or on your sideline so it’s so difficult.

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“I’m just most proud of how I competed, how I came back in the third set, how I managed the match.

“I honestly don’t know if I could have done it without everyone’s support.”

The world number 91 adopted her infuriating tactics especially well late in the first set after Raducanu had broken to go 5-4 up.

It paid off as she broke back, but Raducanu stayed strong to claim another break in a mammoth game at 5-5 and then served the set out with relative ease.

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She then broke in the opening game of the second set to raise hopes of a more comfortable route to victory as the Briton opened up a 3-1 lead.

But her Ukrainian opponent would just not go away and turned the set on its head with a run of five successive games to level up as Raducanu had no answers to her unusual style.

Raducanu showed her fighting spirit after trailing 2-1 in the decider to took back control of the match, winning 16 straight points to move on the brink of victory.

She missed three match points on Oliynykova’s serve, but finally finished the job to wrap it up.

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Earlier, British number four Boulter beat American Katie Volynets 6-1 6-3 to secure a place in the Ostrava Open final.

Boulter broke in the opening game and then the fifth to establish a 4-1 lead, before taking the set as Volynets’ serve faltered again.

World number 96 Volynets regrouped for the start of the second set, forcing an early break in the first game, but Boulter responded immediately to level at 1-1.

Boulter then went on the offensive with some power hitting across the court.

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Another break in game eight left her serving for the match, which she closed out after recovering from 0-40 down to hold her nerve and progress to a fifth career WTA final.

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Are Fast Withdrawals Important for Irish Gamblers?

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Are Fast Withdrawals Important for Irish Gamblers?

When you’ve just hit a winning streak at your favourite online casino or correctly predicted the outcome of a Premier League match, there’s a particular feeling that comes with clicking that withdrawal button. However, what happens next can make or break their entire experience with a betting site as money is rarely paid out instantly.

The Psychology Behind Waiting for Your Winnings

Money you’ve won feels different from money you’ve deposited. This is the case even if the profit is just a few Euros. There’s an anticipation, a sense of validation that comes with seeing those funds actually land in your account.

When a casino or sportsbook processes withdrawals quickly—within hours rather than days—it reinforces trust in a way that no marketing message ever could. As a result, many prefer Irish fast withdrawal casinos that payout within 24 hours over those that take a day to complete the transaction.

For recreational players who treat gambling as entertainment, a few days’ wait might seem inconsequential. But consider someone who gambles more regularly, perhaps placing bets several times a week. Slow withdrawals create a peculiar problem: their funds become trapped in a limbo between a gambling account and a bank account.

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This affects practical decision-making. If you’ve won €200 on Monday but won’t see it until Friday, you’re more likely to either leave it in your gambling account (where it remains at risk) or deposit more money for other expenses. Neither scenario is ideal for someone trying to maintain control over their gambling budget.

Payment methods matter enormously here. Traditional bank transfers through Irish banks can take 3-5 working days. E-wallets like Revolut, PayPal, or Neteller often process within hours.

Irish banks themselves sometimes add another layer of delay. Some banks flag gambling transactions for additional scrutiny, particularly larger amounts, which can extend processing times regardless of how quickly the betting site acts.

The Regulatory Landscape in Ireland

Ireland’s gambling regulation has historically been fragmented, operating under legislation dating back to the 1950s. While the upcoming Gambling Regulation Bill promises to modernise and tighten regulations, offshore sites licensed in jurisdictions like Malta, Gibraltar, or Curaçao can currently operate freely in the market. As a result, there are no uniform rules regarding withdrawals.

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These licensing authorities have different standards for withdrawal processing. The Malta Gaming Authority, for instance, requires licensees to process withdrawals “without undue delay,” though the exact timeframe remains somewhat vague. While this ambiguity means withdrawal speeds vary dramatically between operators, MGA-licensed casinos still have tighter restrictions than other regulators, with other regulators offering poorer conditions.

Many include mandatory pending periods of 1-3 days, where the funds just sit there before anything happens. During this time, it’s possible to cancel the withdrawal and keep on playing. This practice is not just frustrating for players, but also bad for responsible gambling reasons. As a result, national gambling regulations like the UK Gambling Commission have tightened the rules relating to withdrawals and have made it illegal to purposely hold up withdrawals. It’s likely that the new Irish gambling regulators will include similar rulings.

The Verification Paradox

Slow withdrawals aren’t always at the fault of the casino. The same security measures that protect Irish players from fraud are often responsible for withdrawal delays.

First-time withdrawals typically require identity verification before they are processed. A copy of your passport or driver’s license, proof of address, and sometimes even a photo/screenshot of your payment method is required. This process exists to prevent money laundering and is one of several mandatory Anti Money Laundering (AML) processes a casino must go through. Additionally, it aims to confirm you are who you claim to be and to ensure you’re of legal gambling age.

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But it can create frustration when you’ve just won and must wait 24-48 hours for a manual review before accessing your money. Many inexperienced players are often surprised by this requirement and will not comply, as they believe it’s some type of fraud.

Experienced players know to complete verification immediately upon registration to prevent this from delaying future withdrawals. This forward-thinking approach eliminates delays later, but most people don’t think that far ahead.

What Irish Players Actually Prioritise

An older survey from 2015 reveals that ease of use and perceived trustworthiness are important factors for Irish gamblers when picking a casino site. While it doesn’t specify fast withdrawals as a factor specifically, it’s likely included in the “ease of use” category.

The withdrawal speed ranks high in importance, but it’s rarely the single deciding factor when choosing an online casino. It exists alongside other concerns—game variety, welcome bonuses, customer service quality, and mobile app functionality.

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However, withdrawal speed becomes disproportionately important when something goes wrong. A player who’s had a smooth experience with quick payouts might barely mention it. A player who’s waited ten days for a withdrawal will tell everyone they know, leave negative reviews, and likely never return to that site. In an industry where players are literally trusting operators with their money, that signal matters more than almost anything else.


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

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Major WWE star pushed to win at the Royal Rumble but he lost

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A major WWE Superstar pushed to win at the Royal Rumble but still came up short at the PLE this past Saturday night in Saudi Arabia. The popular star competed in a major title match at Royal Rumble 2026.

Sami Zayn won a Fatal 4-Way match last month to become the number one contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship. He challenged Drew McIntyre for the title at the Royal Rumble but was unable to defeat The Scottish Warrior.

According to a new report from the Wrestling Observer, Zayn was pushing to defeat McIntyre and capture the title at Royal Rumble, but it was not meant to be. McIntyre defeated Zayn at the PLE via pinfall after connecting with the Claymore.

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Why Did WWE Waste This Year’s Royal Rumble? Find Out!

Following his victory over Zayn, McIntyre interfered in the Men’s Royal Rumble match later in the show to eliminate Cody Rhodes. Roman Reigns won the Men’s Royal Rumble and will be challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE WrestleMania 42.

Jackie Redmond reveals how Sami Zayn almost ruined their WWE interview

Backstage interviewer Jackie Redmond recently shared how Sami Zayn almost ruined a segment they had together.

Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on the INSIGHT podcast, Redmond shared that Zayn was very late to an interview segment they had in the past. Redmond disclosed that she started to get nervous, but thankfully, the former Intercontinental Champion showed up in time.

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“We are getting ready for a live shot backstage where I’m interviewing this person. And we’re like 20 seconds away. Don’t even have eyes on him. Don’t know where he is. I haven’t seen him. We chatted earlier in the day, like, yeah, we have backstage, and that will be great, whatever. But we’re getting close.” She continued, “And so I’m starting to panic a little bit. And literally, like, we’re in the 10 count. And finally, Sami Zayn shows up, and we’re ready to go. And I was like, ‘Oh my God, Sami! I’m so nervous!’ I was like, where is this man? But he was fine, and he nailed it, and we were great. And it was a wonderful segment,” she said.

.@DMcIntyreWWE RETAINS! 💪

It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Sami Zayn after failing to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship.