It’s been only a year since she made her debut in a WTA250 tournament at the 2024 Transylvania Open, but Anca Todoni already feels like a different player and person. She has gained valuable experience, not just through ranking points but also through lessons learned and confidence gained. She has climbed the rankings—from 230 last year to 108 now—but ranking has never been the way the young player measures her progress.
At just 20 years old, Anca approaches and manages her career with maturity, calmness, and patience, knowing she has the tools to reach her goals, the time to get there, and the right people to guide her. This maturity was also evident in how she spoke about her journey at this year’s Transylvania Open, where she fought through two high-level qualifying matches. Although she didn’t make it to the main draw (losing to Daria Snigur, 6-7, 4-6), she left with further proof of her abilities.
“In terms of tennis, there aren’t many things I can blame myself for, just small details that made the difference in key points. Probably, in hindsight, I could say I should have been calmer and more composed, but in the end, she had her chances too and played well when it mattered, especially when I had a set point. So, I need to learn from this and move on quickly. I will leave Cluj with my head held high, I can say that I’m proud of how I fought,” she said about her second-round qualifying loss.
If a year ago she felt nervous, her development over the past year has helped her enter the court with much more composure. “I don’t have that stress anymore because I’ve taken this step many times now. It was just another match, like any other—I treat every match the same, no matter the tournament. I knew exactly what I had to do and I felt good. When I saw how many people were in the stands, I was happy because I knew they would support me.”
The great atmosphere in the stands, where nearly 1,000 spectators watched her match, gave her a boost—it was the first time she truly felt the impact of the crowd. “It’s the first time I’ve felt that someone else could help me, that external factors like the audience could support me. Usually, we prepare for crowds that are against us, but I felt their good energy. They cheered for me from the first to the last point, stood by my side, and made me feel like I was in a big tournament final. It was incredible, a kind of energy I wish I could experience all the time, but of course, that’s not possible since we don’t always play at home. This tournament makes us feel special. We are always supported, and everyone is by our side.”
Even though she didn’t qualify for the main draw, the two days spent at Transylvania Open 2025 gave her a chance to be part of this special edition (the fifth one), which brought together the best Romanian tennis players from different generations. “When I saw the draw and how many of us were here, I thought we were playing the Fed Cup. I’m happy to be here with them—it’s a great vibe, especially with Simona, Sorana, and Irina around. It’s amazing because as kids, we dreamed of watching them play, and now we’ve surpassed those dreams—we’re competing in the same tournament. And this year’s tournament is really strong. Surprisingly, no one withdrew! It’s a beautiful tournament, special for us because it’s so well-organized and meticulously planned—you don’t find these conditions at many international tournaments, not even at 500WTA events. But it’s really nice seeing everyone here together.”
