From the very first day, the fifth edition of the Transylvania Open has been buzzing with energy—enthusiastic crowds in the stands, a lively atmosphere in the entertainment areas, and most importantly, a strong presence of Romanian players, already at BT Arena. Some are there for training, while others have already stepped onto the court for their first qualification matches.
“I believe it’s unprecedented in the history of a Romanian tournament to have all our top players taking part. I’m referring both to those who have been in the circuit for many years—players who have brought us so much joy, like Simona [Halep], Sorana [Cîrstea], and Irina [Begu]—but also to the younger generation, like Jaqueline Cristian, Gabi Ruse, and Ana Bogdan. We have a total of 12 Romanian players, including the ones from the qualifications—a record, for sure,” said tournament director Patrick Ciorcilă during Saturday’s draw ceremony.
One of the young Romanian players competing in Cluj is 22-year-old Ilinca Amariei, who lost in straight sets (1-6, 1-6) to Polish player Maja Chwalinska.
Ilinca, how was your match today? How did you feel on Cluj’s hard court?
“I’m not very used to playing on hard courts, but since this is a home tournament with well-known, excellent conditions, I came to Cluj with a lot of enthusiasm. I was really looking forward to this event, even though, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to prepare properly for it. I’ve been dealing with injuries and colds, and I didn’t start the year the way I wanted to. I felt nervous at the beginning and couldn’t enjoy the match as much as I would have liked because I was struggling with some pain. I have some abdominal issues, I hope it’s not a tear. That’s why I couldn’t fully enjoy the experience today. But still, this was a special experience. In tennis, every week is different, and I hope next week will be better. The season is long and I truly believe it will be a good year. The experience here means a lot—Transylvania Open is such a motivating tournament. I played here when I was younger, and I felt the same way this time—it’s a huge privilege. You go home and think, ‘Wow, I played at TO!’ It’s beautiful to play at home, especially for us, since we spend so much of the season traveling. The people here are amazing, and the atmosphere makes you feel right at home.”
On the surface here—Do you feel it helps you to get used to this type of court in the future?
“I’ve already started training more on hard courts, playing more on this surface. The court here is great—not too fast, not too slow. The balls are very good too. The conditions are unbeatable! But since I’m from Iași, I only played on clay when I was little. It wasn’t until I moved to Bucharest and started taking tennis more seriously that I began playing on hard courts, but not very much. Clay is automatically my favorite surface. But one thing is clear: it’s all about the mental game. It’s not so much about clay as it is about me feeling safer on it. On hard courts, I just don’t have the confidence to play my best yet. I’m sure I can play better, I just need to train more.”
This year’s TO edition is special. All of our big tennis names are here—Simona, Irina, Sorana. They are all approaching the end of their careers. How do you see their legacy? What have they meant to you and your generation?
“I’ve been a fan of Simona Halep from the very beginning. Seeing someone from your country be the best in the world at the sport you practice is incredible! But I also really admire Sorana and Irina—all of our players. Irina Mitu, who is my friend, helped me a lot in my career. I’m so glad they’re all here in Cluj now, I hope to see them play. They’ve given so much to us as young players and to our country. It’s important to have role models like them. I remember Mr. Marcu was working with Simona and took me to one of her practices. I was shocked by the intensity she trained with, and her focus on every ball. During breaks, she’d joke around, but once back on the court, she was incredible. That’s when I truly understood the level she was at! Even now, when I feel my mind drifting, my coach reminds me of that meeting with Simona. It’s enough to get my mind back in the game. I can’t wait to see Simona play again!”
