Always with a smile on her face, always ready with a joke – that’s probably Tamara Korpatsch’s way of hiding her shyness. The serene and hardworking athlete, for whom Cluj has become the main landmark in her career at the age of 28, returns to the scene of the triumph, Transylvania Open, and hopes that her “killer mood,” where she transforms her gentle smile on match days, will work at this edition too.
Last year you won Transylvania Open without being counted among the favorites, coming from the qualifiers…
Yes, I have very fresh memories because it happened just a few months ago (laughs). I know where the locker rooms are by heart, I know where the lounge is, everything seems so familiar to me here in Cluj! The truth is I am very happy to be here again already. It’s a bit strange not to return after a year, but I’m glad to be here because it’s a very beautiful tournament, the most beautiful WTA250 tournament, and I’m proud to be the one who won the most beautiful WTA250 tournament.
How was your experience at last year’s Transylvania Open?
It was, of course, a very pleasant experience. In 2022, I didn’t play any matches on the central court, and last year I was super excited to play on the main court, surrounded by so many people. It’s evident that Transylvania Open is a very beloved tournament; there are always a lot of people in the stands. I love the atmosphere in Cluj, even though sometimes I play against Romanian players. It gives you a special feeling to play in front of an involved and noisy audience, but one that appreciates and applauds when you make a nice point, even if it’s against the local favorite.
What has changed in your life, in your career, after winning Transylvania Open? Do you feel like a different player now? Has anything changed in terms of self-confidence?
Transylvania Open was my first career title at 250, and it will remain a special moment for me. I feel like the same person, the same player, just that now I feel I can achieve more, that I can win more tournaments. That’s what I feel, that’s what I hope for, and that’s what I’m fighting for now. I dream of more than 250 tournaments or even bigger tournaments. I’ve passed the first round in Grand Slam competitions, I feel more confident on hard courts now – so yes, the effect of the victory in the fall in Cluj is felt.
Interestingly, I always played better on clay, even since I was a child; all the tournaments I won in the ITF circuit or WTA 125 were on clay, and it happened that my first WTA250 was on hard. Now I feel much more confident on hard courts; I feel much better on this surface than before.
Do you feel a bit of pressure to defend your title and points in Cluj?
Yes, the pressure is there; I feel it. You think about how it would be to lose in the first round as the defending champion… But I try to stay calm, to think only about the next match. My opponent is Avanesyan, who played very well in Australia, so maybe she also feels pressure for this reason, I hope (smiles).
The 2024 edition seems to be the most competitive in the history of Transylvania Open. How do you find the draw?
I remember that a few years ago, I was playing in the main draw of 250 tournaments with players from Top 130 or 140. Now I see players like Alize Cornet or colleagues from Top 110 in the qualifiers. It’s a very strong tournament!
Do you usually look at the draw after the draw ceremony to see how the path to the title could be?
Nooo! I have never done that. I try to only look at the next opponent, then I cover the upper and lower parts of the draw. I don’t want to know who might come next because it seems to me that I would think too far ahead. I just want to know my next opponent and that’s it. I try to be myself, not to think too much about the match because if I think too much, I can’t sleep at night. I try to think about anything else, to train well, of course, but then I prefer to keep myself busy with other things, so much so that ideally, I forget who I’m playing against the next day. That’s how it works for me. During warm-up, only then do I start thinking about the match. That’s when I get into the “killer mood,” as I like to call it. I hope the “killer mood” works again this year in Cluj.
Transylvania Open has been voted the best 250 tournament on the circuit for the second year in a row. What makes the tournament in Cluj so special?
Everything is very well organized; everything is in one place; there is a very nice community around this tournament. Then there’s the way we are presented when we enter the court; I always have emotions when I step onto the court. I even turn up the music in my headphones when I enter so that I don’t get too emotional when I enter the arena. The organization is impeccable; you get everything you want; it’s a very cozy tournament. This year I would like to see more of the city, and I want to try Romanian sarmale (cabbage rolls), which I’ve heard are very good. I will try to enrich my experience in Cluj this year.
What are your plans and goals for this season, in terms of gameplay and performance level?
I hope to win more tournaments this year. Transylvania Open will be my last tournament before leaving for the United States, and the fact that I play on hard here will certainly be good preparation for this.
