For Jaqueline Cristian, the third day of the main draw at the Transylvania Open was eventful: Jaq won her singles match cleanly but lost in the doubles, alongside Irina Bara, defeated by the pair of Monica Niculescu and Anna Lena Friedsam.
Asked to analyze her encounter with Celine Naef, whom she defeated last week in Rouen, France, Jaqueline Cristian said that she expected a tough match in Cluj: “Celine is young, a very good player, and I expected a complicated match. The fact that I played at home, drawing energy from the audience, was an advantage for me. When I’m at home, I always try to give my best. I’m happy with this victory. There were some nerves at the beginning, but with the help of the crowd, it turned out very well. We both played quite well, performing at a good level.”
What pleases her the most about her game today?
“I think we both played better last week, both me and Celine. The court was faster, and the balls weren’t as fluffy. Now, I think I adapted better to the conditions here and made smarter decisions during the game. I tried to avoid balls at hip level, which she likes so much. But I saw that she struggled quite a bit, and she told me that she didn’t adapt to the court exceptionally well. That’s what I take away from today: I stayed positive and found solutions during the match.”
Regarding her next match against Eva Lys, who defeated the top seed Sorana Cîrstea in the first round at the Transylvania Open, Jaqueline said:
“I know Eva Lys; I’ve played with her on teams on clay. I see her in good form; she feels confident after the match with Sorana. Honestly, I’m going to try to focus on myself, and on what I have to do. If I do my job, I’m quite positive,” Jaqueline said, adding that this is “the longest and most demanding season for me so far. I’ve played many ITF events, long and tough matches, week after week, to get back into the circuit.”
