Shortly after her beautiful victory against Anna Bondar, Gabi Ruse came to the press conference for the customary discussion with the journalists present at the BT Arena.
“I am very happy about today’s victory. I didn’t expect it because, at the beginning, I felt unwell and had issues with my leg. I fought for every point, and at one point, I completely forgot about the pain. The audience believed in me, and even though they saw tears in my eyes, they continued to encourage me, and I think that gave me strength. I was charged with the energy of the crowd, and I showed very good tennis again,” said Gabi, achieving the best result of her challenging season.
“At the beginning, I was a bit emotional because Anna is my friend. We’ve known each other since we were 7 years old, and it was difficult for me to play against her, especially since she is in very good form and almost reached the Top 50 this year. I’m happy for this victory; it proved to me once again that desire and strength come from within.”
Gabi mentioned that she always has empathy for her opponents, especially if they are friends. “Especially in this case, when our parents are also family friends. Anna’s father was in Cluj, and if my father had come as well, I’m sure they would have watched the match together. Tennis is up to a certain point; we need to be human beings first.”
When asked if she is aiming for the later stages of the Transylvania Open, Gabi said, “It’s a long road to the final. The important thing is to stay healthy and enjoy the tennis here, the supporters, and my team because I have the whole team with me, and I feel the energy they give me every day. If I play my game, anything is possible, and as I say, the sky is the limit.”
