Tag: rankings

  • Sports flash

    Matches
    counting towards the 11th round as part of the Champions League in Women’s
    Handball’s group stage are scheduled at the weekend. Romanian teams’ fixtures
    are scheduled on Sunday. Rapid Bucharest travel to Denmark for an away Group B
    match against Ikast. At present, Romanian vice-champions are 7th
    placed, with 7 points, and are in dire need of a good result if they want to keep
    their hopes alive they can still earn a place among the first six teams so they
    can go past the group stage. With 13 points, Ikast are 3rd-placed in
    the group. In Group A, CSM Bucharest play a home game against Swedish team
    Savehof, a bottom-of-the-table team with a record of ten defeats in ten games
    played. Holders CSM are 4th-placed in the group.


    Three other
    Romanian teams play in Europe’s second-tier competition, the EHF European
    League. On Saturday, Gloria Bistrița receive the visit of French top-flight
    team Nantes. According to group C table, Gloria Bistrita are 2nd-placed,
    with 4 points in two games played, the same as-top-of the-table French team,
    which has, however, a better goal average. Also on Saturday, CSM Târgu Jiu play
    an away game against Norway’s Sola. CSM Targu Jiu are at the bottom of the table
    in Group D, with zero points on their record sheet. In Croatia on Sunday, Dunărea
    Brăila play Lokomotiva Zagreb, a bottom of the table team in Group B. With two
    points, Dunarea Braila are second-placed in the group, after German team Thuringer.


    Matches
    counting towards the Romanian football Super League’s 22nd round are
    scheduled at the weekend. On Friday, Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe play Poli Iași,
    while Rapid Bucharest play FC U Craiova 1948. On Saturday, Universitatea Cluj play
    a home game against FC Hermannstadt, while in Ploiesti, the local team Petrolul
    play a home game against Bucharest team Dinamo. On Sunday, CFR Cluj play an
    away match against FC Botoșani, while Universitatea Craiova play a home fixture
    against Farul Constanta. On Monday, FC Voluntari take on Oțelul Galați, while FCSB
    are pitted against UTA Arad. With 44 points, that is 8 points clear of the runner-up
    team, CFR Cluj, FCSB are at the top of the table.



  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    In a Group B fixture counting towards EuroCup mens basketball team, U-BT Cluj-Napoca on Wednesday grabbed a 85-81 away win against German opponents ratiopharm Ulm.




    American-born Romanian player Patrick Richard was U-BT Cluj-Napocas top scorer, with 27 points and 3 assists on the record. Also in Group B, on Tuesday Italian team Trento defeated Polish team Slask Wroclaw, 85-79. On Wednesday Greek team Aris Thessalonica defeated Montenegrin team Buducnost Podgorica, 76-75, then French team Bourg-en-Bresse defeated Lithuanian opponents Lietkabelis Panevezys, 104-71, while Turk Telekom grabbed a 83-73 away win against Spanish team Dreamland Gran Canaria. U-BT Cluj-Napoca are 3rd-placed in Group B and have already booked their ticket for the competitions play-off. This coming Wednesday U-BT Cluj-Napoca play a home game against Italian team Trento.




    In FIBA Europe Cups Group N, CSM CSU Oradea sustained a 98-101 away defeat by German opponents Niners Chemnitz, after extra time. CSM CSU Oradeas top scorer was American-born player Nijal Pearson, with 22 points and 7 assists. With 8 points in 4 games, Niners Chemnitz are at the top of the table in Group N. CSM CSU Oradea follow, with 5 points. 3rd-placed are Low Country team Leiden, while 4th-placed are Varese of Italy, with 4 points in 3 games played The first two teams in descending order qualify to the quarterfinals. CSM CSU Oradea play their last two fixtures in the group at home, against Leiden, on January 24th and Against Varese, on February the 7th.




    In mens volleyball, Arcada Galati sustained a nil-3 away defeat by Lvi Prague of the Czech Republic. Romanian holders Arcada Galati are 4th-placed according to Group Es final rankings. Italys Civitanova are at the top of the table. Second-placed are Lvi Prague, while third-placed are Greenyard Maaseik of Belgium.




    As part of the ongoing Australian Open, tennis tournament, in the first round of the womens doubles, this past Wednesday the Romanian-Brazilian pair made of Monica Niculescu and Ingrid Martins sustained a 3-6, 1-6 defeat by the all-Italian pair made of Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. On Thursday also in the womens doubles and again in the first round, the Romanian-Croatian made of Sorana Cîrstea and Donna Vekic have sustained a 2-6, 5-7 defeat by the 9th-seeded pair made the Dutch Demis Schuurs and Brazils Luisa Stefani.




  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Attention-grabbing in International women’s tennis last week was the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun. Because of the bad weather conditions, the competition
    came to a close as late as Monday, with Polish Iga Swiantek emerging as winner.
    However, the international calendar has other tournaments on schedule, not so important
    events, such as the ITF tournament hosted by the Greek city of Heraklion on the Island of Crete, an event with 40,000 USD in prize money. Of the Romanian women
    tennis players taking part in the competition, the best was WTA 307th-placed,
    37-year-old Cristina Dinu, who reached as far as the semi-finals. However, Dinu
    was defeated by WTA 109th-palced tennis player and top-seeded in Heraklion,
    Dianne Parry of France, 6-3,
    7-6. Irina Bara’s performance in
    the women’s doubles event was above par since in the final, Irina and Slovenia’s Dalila Jakupovic outclassed the Romanian-Greek
    pair made of Oana Gavrilă and Sapfo Sakellaridi, 3-6, 7-6, 10-8.

    Reason enough
    for Radio Romania International to designate Irina Bara the Athlete of the
    Week.


    Irina Bara was born on March 18, 1995,
    in the town of Ştei, in western Romania. It was not until 2015 that she made
    her debut on the main draw of a WTA tournament when she paired up with Mihaela
    Buzarnescu in the women’s doubles event as part of the tournament hosted by Romania’s capital city, Bucharest. Irina’s progress has been a constant one ever since, as in May, 2019 she saw a
    record-high in terms of WTA rankings, being 56th-placed. According
    to the as-it-stands WTA women’s doubles table, Irina Bara is 120th-placed. In
    2021, Irina won the women’s doubles final as part of the WTA tournament in Cluj-Napoca,
    jointly with Georgian tennis player Ekaterine Gorgodze. Irina Bara’s career-best
    in women’s singles occurred in 2020 when she reached as far as the third round, in the Australian Open and Roland Garros. At present, Irina Bara is 173rd-placed, according to the WTA rankings.


    This week, Irina Bara is among the
    tennis players summoned by Romanian team’s non-playing captain Horia Tecău, for
    the match against Serbia. The Billie
    Jean King Cup confrontation will be hosted by an indoor clay court in Kraljevo.
    Also part of the team are Jaqueline Cristian, Gabriela Ruse, Anca Todoni and Monica Niculescu. The
    winning side will prove its mettle in the qualifiers for the Billie Jean King
    Cup’s final tournament.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romania’s most important
    tennis tournament has recently drawn to a close in Cluj-Napoca. It is known as WTA
    250 Transylvania Open, a women’s tournament with 260 thousand USD in prize
    money. Taking part in the tournament have been several top-flight tennis players,
    both in women’s singles and in women’s doubles. All eight seeded players in the
    women’s singles are ranked among the world’s top 100 tennis players. Among them, Romania’s Sorana
    Cîrstea, Alycia Parks of the USA, Belgium’s Greet Minnen or
    Spaniard Rebeka Masarova. Apart from Sorana Cirstea, six other Romanian tennis
    players have been included in the main draw. Ilona Georgiana Ghioroaie came straight
    from the qualifiers. Jaqueline Cristian, Patricia Ţig and Ana Bogdan gained their
    admission thanks to their WTA rankings, while Miriam Bulgaru and Elena-Gabriela
    Ruse got wild cards. Elena-Gabriela Ruse was the best since she reached as far
    as the tournament’s final.


    Reason enough for
    Radio Romania International to designate Ruse the Athlete of the week.


    In Cluj-Napoca, Elena-Gabriela Ruse defeated second-seeded
    Alycia Parks, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4, in the first round. In the second round, Ruse
    defeated Hungarian opponent Anna Bondar, 7-6, 6-2. In
    the quarterfinals, Elena Ruse defeated Colombian challenger Emiliana Arango, 6-1, nil-6,
    6-1. In the semi-finals, Elena Gabriela Ruse defeated fourth-seeded tennis
    player Rebeka Masarova, 6-1, 6-4. However, in the final, Elena Gabriela Ruse
    was defeated by Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, 6-3, 6-4.


    Elena-Gabriela Ruse was born on November 6, 1997, in Bucharest. She took
    up tennis when she was four and a half years old, with Dinamo Bucharest sports
    club. Her career-best so far includes only one WTA women’s singles tournament
    she won in Hamburg, in 2021. Also in 202,1 Ruse was a finalist in the Palermo
    tournament. In Cluj-Napoca Elena-Gabriela Ruse made it to the finals for the
    third time around in her women’s single career. Ruse therefore climbed 61
    notches up and now ranks 127th according to the world standings. Elena-Gabriela Ruse was best-placed in May 2022, when she ranked 51st. Elena-Gabriela
    Ruse’s performance in the women’s doubles is far more consistent, especially
    since she has been pairing up with Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Elena Gabriela Ruse
    is 37th-placed according to the world’s women’s doubles rankings. In 2023, in
    the year’s first Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne, Ruse and Kostyuk reached
    as far as the semi-finals.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week


    The TWA 125 BCR Iasi Open is the most important tennis competition scheduled in eastern Romania. The event took place last week
    and had 100 thousand Euro in prize money. Among the seeded competitors were
    four of the world’s top 100 women tennis players. Irina Begu was top-seeded. Second-seeded
    was the winner of the Iasi tournament’s 2022 edition, Ana Bogdan.


    Begu and Bogdan were pitted against one another
    in the final which Ana Bogdan won, 6-2, 6-3, this past Sunday. Reason enough
    for Radio Romania International to designate Ana Bogdan the Athlete of the
    week.


    Ana had a rather unassuming debut in the Iasi tournament. In the first
    round, it took Ana Bogdan two hours and 21 minutes of play to outclass WTA 210th-placed,
    19-year-old Barbora Palicová
    of the Czech Republic. Bogdan lost the first set, 2-6, managed a hard-fought
    win in the second, 7-5, and had no problem winning the third set, 6-1. Ana
    Bogdan’s round-of-last-16 confrontation was not easy either. It took Ana two
    hours and 17 minutes of play to defeat WTA 433rd, 32-year-old Conny Perrin of Switzerland, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1. In the quarterfinals, Ana Bogdan was pitted against another Swiss opponent, 5th-seded in
    Iasi, WTA 131st, 22-year-old Simona Waltert. The Romanian had no problem
    defeating Waltert, 6-nil, 6-4. Ana Bogdan’s longest match was the semifinal
    confrontation against WTA 166, 26-year-old Raluka Serban, a Romanian tennis player
    competing for Cyprus. It took Bogdan two hours and 42 minutes to secure 6-3,
    4-6, 6-3 win against Serban. Then the final against Irina Begu followed.

    Ana Bogdan was born on November 25th, 1992, in Sinaia. She
    turned pro in 2007. In 2009 Ana Bogdan was second-placed according to the juniors’
    world rankings. Slowly but surely, Ana Bogdan climbed up the WTA rankings until
    2018. She maintained her position around the 100th-place, yet in
    2022 and 2023 she managed to climb up even higher. At the moment, Ana Bogdan
    has accomplished her career-best so far, the 39th place according to
    the WTA rankings. Of the Romanian tennis players Ana Bogdan is second only to
    Sorana Cirstea, who is 32nd-placed.

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend


    We begin with news
    from wrestling. As part of the European Wrestling Championships, underway in
    Zagreb, Andrea Ana on Thursday won gold in the 55-kilogram category. In the final,
    Andreea Ana outclassed Hungary’s Erika Bognar, Also on
    Thursday Catalina Axente walked away with bronze, in the 76-kilogram category.
    In the decisive confrontation, Axente defeated Ukrainian challenger Anastasia
    Osniaci. The competition draws to a close on Sunday. We recall that at the 2022
    edition of the championships, held in Budapest, Romania won four medals. The
    Romanian delegation’s scintillating feat was the gold medal also provided by this
    year’s star competitor, Andreea Ana.
    Alina Vuc and Kriszta Incze won bronze, in the 50 and the 65-kilogram category,
    respectively. In the men’s version of the competition, Nicu Ojog won silver in
    the Greek-Roman style, in the 87-kilogram category.


    The coming weekend will see the European
    Weightlifting Championships drawing to a close in Yerevan. No Romanian athlete has
    remained in the competition, right now. In Yerevan, the Romanian delegation won
    14 medals. In the 49-kilogram category, Mihaela Cambei, then Andreea Cotruta in
    the 55-kilogram category and Loredan Toman in the 7-kilogram category won three
    gold medals each, in the snatch style, the clean and jerk style, and combined.
    Also in the women’s version of the competition, in the 45-kilogram category, Cosmina
    Pană walked home with silver in the snatch style and combined, while in the men’s
    version of the competition, in the 55-kilogram category Valentin Iancu won
    silver in the clean-and-jerk style, and combined.


    In the Romanian football Super League, fixtures
    are scheduled at the weekend, counting towards the fifth round as part of Group
    1/Group 2 stage. On Friday, Sepsi
    Sfântu Gheorghe play Universitatea Craiova. On Saturday in Ovidiu, the top-of-the-table and the runner-up teams, Farul
    Constanta and CFR Cluj, are pitted against each other. On Sunday, Rapid Bucharest
    play a home game against FCSB.
    Farul are at the top of the table, with 39 points, CFR are 2nd
    placed, with 38, then coming in descending order are Craiova, with 32, Rapid,
    with 28 and Sepsi with 24 points. In Group 2, on Saturday FC Hermannstadt Sibiu play a home game against FC Argeş, while FC
    Botoşani play another home game against FC U Craiova. In Ploiesti on Sunday, Chindia
    Târgovişte take on UTA Arad. On Monday,
    Universitatea Cluj go against CS Mioveni, while FC Voluntari are pitted against
    Petrolul Ploieşti. According to the Superleague’s lower-

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend


    We begin with news
    from wrestling. As part of the European Wrestling Championships, underway in
    Zagreb, Andrea Ana on Thursday won gold in the 55-kilogram category. In the final,
    Andreea Ana outclassed Hungary’s Erika Bognar, Also on
    Thursday Catalina Axente walked away with bronze, in the 76-kilogram category.
    In the decisive confrontation, Axente defeated Ukrainian challenger Anastasia
    Osniaci. The competition draws to a close on Sunday. We recall that at the 2022
    edition of the championships, held in Budapest, Romania won four medals. The
    Romanian delegation’s scintillating feat was the gold medal also provided by this
    year’s star competitor, Andreea Ana.
    Alina Vuc and Kriszta Incze won bronze, in the 50 and the 65-kilogram category,
    respectively. In the men’s version of the competition, Nicu Ojog won silver in
    the Greek-Roman style, in the 87-kilogram category.


    The coming weekend will see the European
    Weightlifting Championships drawing to a close in Yerevan. No Romanian athlete has
    remained in the competition, right now. In Yerevan, the Romanian delegation won
    14 medals. In the 49-kilogram category, Mihaela Cambei, then Andreea Cotruta in
    the 55-kilogram category and Loredan Toman in the 7-kilogram category won three
    gold medals each, in the snatch style, the clean and jerk style, and combined.
    Also in the women’s version of the competition, in the 45-kilogram category, Cosmina
    Pană walked home with silver in the snatch style and combined, while in the men’s
    version of the competition, in the 55-kilogram category Valentin Iancu won
    silver in the clean-and-jerk style, and combined.


    In the Romanian football Super League, fixtures
    are scheduled at the weekend, counting towards the fifth round as part of Group
    1/Group 2 stage. On Friday, Sepsi
    Sfântu Gheorghe play Universitatea Craiova. On Saturday in Ovidiu, the top-of-the-table and the runner-up teams, Farul
    Constanta and CFR Cluj, are pitted against each other. On Sunday, Rapid Bucharest
    play a home game against FCSB.
    Farul are at the top of the table, with 39 points, CFR are 2nd
    placed, with 38, then coming in descending order are Craiova, with 32, Rapid,
    with 28 and Sepsi with 24 points. In Group 2, on Saturday FC Hermannstadt Sibiu play a home game against FC Argeş, while FC
    Botoşani play another home game against FC U Craiova. In Ploiesti on Sunday, Chindia
    Târgovişte take on UTA Arad. On Monday,
    Universitatea Cluj go against CS Mioveni, while FC Voluntari are pitted against
    Petrolul Ploieşti. According to the Superleague’s lower-

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    Romania’s men’s national handball
    team on home court defeated the Faeroe Islands team, 25-17. The fixture counted
    towards the preliminaries as part of the 4th group of the European Championship, to
    be hosted by Germany in 2024. In the first leg, the Faeroe Islands team grabbed
    an unexpected 28-26 win. In another group 4 fixture, Austria outclassed
    Ukraine, 31-28. With 8 points, Austria is at the top of the table, Romania is
    the runner-up team, with 4, while Ukraine and the Faeroe Islands are 3rd
    and 4th-placed, respectively, with 2 points each. In the group’s upcoming legs, Faeroe Islands
    goes against Ukraine, Romania faces Austria, then Austria takes on Faeroe Islands, while Ukraine plays Romania.
    The first two teams in each of the eight preliminary groups qualify to the
    final tournament, alongside the best four 3rd-placed teams.


    In
    the ice hockey Erste Liga, the Romania team ACSH Gheorgheni is a whisker away
    from advancing to the competition’s final stage. In a home game on Sunday, ACSH
    Gheorgheni defeated another Romanian team, Corona Brașov, 2-1. It was the 5th fixture
    in a series of seven. With an aggregate score of 3-2, ACSH
    Gheorgheni has the lead, while the return leg is scheduled on the skating rink
    in Brasov. In the other semifinal, the Hungarian team Budapest Akademia sustained a 1-3 home defeat by Ferencvaros Budapest, also from Hungary. The latter
    team has a 3-2 lead on aggregate.


    In
    news from football, matches counting towards the Romanian Super league’s 30th
    round, the last round of the regular season, were played at the weekend. On
    Friday, FC Botoșani and CS Mioveni drew, 1-all, while CSU
    Craiova defeated UTA Arad, 2-1. On Saturday, FC Arges sustained a nil-1 defeat
    by Petrolul Ploiesti, while Farul Constanta grabbed a 2-1 win in the match against
    Rapid Bucharest. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt defeated FCU Craiova, 1-nil, while FCSB
    defeated Sepsi Sfântul Gheorghe, also 1-nil. Farul Constanța, CFR Cluj, FCSB,
    CSU Craiova and Rapid București play in Group 1, while playing in Group 2 are Petrolul
    Ploiești, Universitatea Cluj, FC Voluntari, FC Hermannstadt, FC Botoșani, Chindia
    Târgoviște, UTA Arad, FC Argeș and CS Mioveni.

    Counting towards the League’s 23rd
    round and interrupted in the 26th minute because of the racist
    slogans shouted in the stands, the match pitting Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe against
    FCU Craiova will be replayed. The result will definitely decide the team that will
    play in the League’s Group 1. With 40 points, 6th-placed FCU Craiova
    is at the bottom of the table according to Group 2 rankings, while Sepsi Sfantu
    Gheorghe is 7th-placed, with 39 points. (EN)

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    Romania’s men’s national handball
    team on home court defeated the Faeroe Islands team, 25-17. The fixture counted
    towards the preliminaries as part of the 4th group of the European Championship, to
    be hosted by Germany in 2024. In the first leg, the Faeroe Islands team grabbed
    an unexpected 28-26 win. In another group 4 fixture, Austria outclassed
    Ukraine, 31-28. With 8 points, Austria is at the top of the table, Romania is
    the runner-up team, with 4, while Ukraine and the Faeroe Islands are 3rd
    and 4th-placed, respectively, with 2 points each. In the group’s upcoming legs, Faeroe Islands
    goes against Ukraine, Romania faces Austria, then Austria takes on Faeroe Islands, while Ukraine plays Romania.
    The first two teams in each of the eight preliminary groups qualify to the
    final tournament, alongside the best four 3rd-placed teams.


    In
    the ice hockey Erste Liga, the Romania team ACSH Gheorgheni is a whisker away
    from advancing to the competition’s final stage. In a home game on Sunday, ACSH
    Gheorgheni defeated another Romanian team, Corona Brașov, 2-1. It was the 5th fixture
    in a series of seven. With an aggregate score of 3-2, ACSH
    Gheorgheni has the lead, while the return leg is scheduled on the skating rink
    in Brasov. In the other semifinal, the Hungarian team Budapest Akademia sustained a 1-3 home defeat by Ferencvaros Budapest, also from Hungary. The latter
    team has a 3-2 lead on aggregate.


    In
    news from football, matches counting towards the Romanian Super league’s 30th
    round, the last round of the regular season, were played at the weekend. On
    Friday, FC Botoșani and CS Mioveni drew, 1-all, while CSU
    Craiova defeated UTA Arad, 2-1. On Saturday, FC Arges sustained a nil-1 defeat
    by Petrolul Ploiesti, while Farul Constanta grabbed a 2-1 win in the match against
    Rapid Bucharest. On Sunday, FC Hermannstadt defeated FCU Craiova, 1-nil, while FCSB
    defeated Sepsi Sfântul Gheorghe, also 1-nil. Farul Constanța, CFR Cluj, FCSB,
    CSU Craiova and Rapid București play in Group 1, while playing in Group 2 are Petrolul
    Ploiești, Universitatea Cluj, FC Voluntari, FC Hermannstadt, FC Botoșani, Chindia
    Târgoviște, UTA Arad, FC Argeș and CS Mioveni.

    Counting towards the League’s 23rd
    round and interrupted in the 26th minute because of the racist
    slogans shouted in the stands, the match pitting Sepsi Sfantu Gheorghe against
    FCU Craiova will be replayed. The result will definitely decide the team that will
    play in the League’s Group 1. With 40 points, 6th-placed FCU Craiova
    is at the bottom of the table according to Group 2 rankings, while Sepsi Sfantu
    Gheorghe is 7th-placed, with 39 points. (EN)

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Attention-grabbing these days is the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, an event bringing together the world’s elite tennis players. Tournaments are underway on the continent, but also nearby, in Tasmania or New Zealand. Romania’s best tennis players have also registered for the tennis tournaments in Australia, and their run so far has been excellent. For instance, Irina Begu last week reached as far as the semi-finals of the WTA 500 Adelaide International 1 tournament, an event with more than 825 thousand USD in prize money. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Irina Begu the Athlete of the week.



    In Adelaide, in the first round, Irina outclassed US opponent Shelby Rogers, 3-6, 7-6, 6-1. It was Irina ‘s debut match in 2023. Then in the round of 16, Irina Begu crushed seventh-seeded player in Adelaide, Latvian challenger Jelena Ostapenko, 6-3, 6-nil. In the quarterfinals, Begu defeated fourth-seeded tennis player, Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova, 7-5, 6-4, after more than two hours of play. However, in the semi-finals, Begu was overpowered by Arina Sabalenka of the Belarus, 3-6, 2-6. For her excellent run in Adelaide, Irina was rewarded with 43, 323 USD and 185 WTA points. Sabalenka eventually won the tournament, grabbing a 6-3, 7-6 win against Czech challenger Linda Noskova.



    Irina Camelia Begu was born in Bucharest on August 26, 1990. Throughout her career, she won five WTA tournaments in women’s singles: in Tashkent, in 2012, then in Seoul, in 2015, in Florianopolis, in 2016, in Bucharest, in 2017, then in Palermo, in 2022. In the women’s doubles, Irina Begu won nine tournaments. In 2012, she won the tournament in Hobart, pairing up with Monica Niculescu, then in ‘s Hertogenbosch, in 2013, she emerged as winner pairing up with Anabel Medina Garrigues, in Rio de Janeiro, in 2014, Irina paired up with Maria Irigoyen; in Seoul, also in 2014, Irina Begu and Lara Arruabarrena won, and in Bucharest, in 2017, jointly with Raluca Olaru, Irina again emerged as winner. Also in 2017, Irina Camelia Begu won the tournament in Tianjin, pairing up with Sara Errani. In 2018, Irina Begu won the tournament in Shenzen, jointly with Simona Halep and again, in Bucharest, this time in the company of Andreea Mitu.

    Irina Camelia Begu’s most recent title in the women’s doubles was won in 2019 at the Thailand Open, when she paired up with Monica Niculescu. According to the world rankings, Irina Begu is 28-placed in the women’s singles and 166th-placed in the women’s doubles rankings.(EN)


  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Attention-grabbing these days is the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, an event bringing together the world’s elite tennis players. Tournaments are underway on the continent, but also nearby, in Tasmania or New Zealand. Romania’s best tennis players have also registered for the tennis tournaments in Australia, and their run so far has been excellent. For instance, Irina Begu last week reached as far as the semi-finals of the WTA 500 Adelaide International 1 tournament, an event with more than 825 thousand USD in prize money. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Irina Begu the Athlete of the week.



    In Adelaide, in the first round, Irina outclassed US opponent Shelby Rogers, 3-6, 7-6, 6-1. It was Irina ‘s debut match in 2023. Then in the round of 16, Irina Begu crushed seventh-seeded player in Adelaide, Latvian challenger Jelena Ostapenko, 6-3, 6-nil. In the quarterfinals, Begu defeated fourth-seeded tennis player, Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova, 7-5, 6-4, after more than two hours of play. However, in the semi-finals, Begu was overpowered by Arina Sabalenka of the Belarus, 3-6, 2-6. For her excellent run in Adelaide, Irina was rewarded with 43, 323 USD and 185 WTA points. Sabalenka eventually won the tournament, grabbing a 6-3, 7-6 win against Czech challenger Linda Noskova.



    Irina Camelia Begu was born in Bucharest on August 26, 1990. Throughout her career, she won five WTA tournaments in women’s singles: in Tashkent, in 2012, then in Seoul, in 2015, in Florianopolis, in 2016, in Bucharest, in 2017, then in Palermo, in 2022. In the women’s doubles, Irina Begu won nine tournaments. In 2012, she won the tournament in Hobart, pairing up with Monica Niculescu, then in ‘s Hertogenbosch, in 2013, she emerged as winner pairing up with Anabel Medina Garrigues, in Rio de Janeiro, in 2014, Irina paired up with Maria Irigoyen; in Seoul, also in 2014, Irina Begu and Lara Arruabarrena won, and in Bucharest, in 2017, jointly with Raluca Olaru, Irina again emerged as winner. Also in 2017, Irina Camelia Begu won the tournament in Tianjin, pairing up with Sara Errani. In 2018, Irina Begu won the tournament in Shenzen, jointly with Simona Halep and again, in Bucharest, this time in the company of Andreea Mitu.

    Irina Camelia Begu’s most recent title in the women’s doubles was won in 2019 at the Thailand Open, when she paired up with Monica Niculescu. According to the world rankings, Irina Begu is 28-placed in the women’s singles and 166th-placed in the women’s doubles rankings.(EN)


  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club


    The change of generations Romanian fencing has been going through fatally took its toll on Romanian fencing’s recent results at international
    level. We recall that that the Romanian delegation had a zero-medal tally at
    the European Championships held in Antalya, Turkey, in June. Little wonder then
    that the expectations for the World Championships in Cairo were low. At the
    event in Egypt, Romania had full teams for the men’s and women’s saber as well
    as in women’s foil and women’s epee events. Also, two other fencers
    participated in the men’s individual epee event. The set
    target was for the respective team to be placed on one of the first six
    positions at least in one single event. Sabre fencers were the favorites to meeting
    the set target. We recall that at the European championships the team came in 5th,
    while Răzvan Ursachi and Iulian Teodosiu had been 5th and 6th
    placed, respectively, in the individual events.


    Exceeding all expectations, Romanian fencers succeeded to win two bronze
    medals, both in individual events. In the sabre event, Iulian Teodosiu stepped
    onto the third step of the podium, while Maria Boldor came in 3rd in
    the foil event. It was just expected from Teodosiu to succeed that. Iulian Teodosiu
    had already won three medals in nations’ competitions, in 2013, when the team
    won silver at the World Championships, in 2016, when the team won bronze, also
    in the World Championships, and also in 2016, when the Romanians won another
    bronze medal, this time in the European Championships. Foil fencer Maria Boldor used to have a constant and an apparently
    unassuming position among the world’s top 100 fencers, being placed somewhere around
    the 100th position. 26-year world Maria Boldor did not have exceptional
    results on the record, although she had competed in a great number of events ever
    since she was 17. However, her notable result in an individual event in Cairo earned Maria
    Boldor the 19th place according to the world rankings. The Romanian
    is also entitled to keeping her hopes high for the 2024 edition of the Olympic
    Games in Paris.


    In Cairo, the Romanian teams’ run was utterly disappointing. In the men’s
    sabre event, with Iulian Teodosiu and Răzvan Ursachi on the line-up, the
    Romanians were defeated in the very first round and came in 17th
    according to the final rankings. In women’s sabre, Romania was also defeated,
    again in the very first round, by Kazakhstan, and came in 18th. In
    the women’s foil event, with Maria Boldor fighting, the Romanians were
    outclassed by Singapore, also in the very first round, coming in 20th
    according to the final rankings. The women’s epee team was the only Romanian team to have lasted beyond the competition’s first round, when they defeated
    Canada yet losing to Italy, the bronze medalists in Tokyo. In the 9-16
    places tournament, Romania overpowered China, lost to Estonia and eventually
    defeated Egypt, coming in 11th according to the final rankings. A disappointing
    result, given that in 2016, the epee event earned Romania gold at the Olympic Games in
    Rio, in the nations’ competition, and silver in the individual event, in Tokyo,
    in 2021.(EN)


  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club


    The change of generations Romanian fencing has been going through fatally took its toll on Romanian fencing’s recent results at international
    level. We recall that that the Romanian delegation had a zero-medal tally at
    the European Championships held in Antalya, Turkey, in June. Little wonder then
    that the expectations for the World Championships in Cairo were low. At the
    event in Egypt, Romania had full teams for the men’s and women’s saber as well
    as in women’s foil and women’s epee events. Also, two other fencers
    participated in the men’s individual epee event. The set
    target was for the respective team to be placed on one of the first six
    positions at least in one single event. Sabre fencers were the favorites to meeting
    the set target. We recall that at the European championships the team came in 5th,
    while Răzvan Ursachi and Iulian Teodosiu had been 5th and 6th
    placed, respectively, in the individual events.


    Exceeding all expectations, Romanian fencers succeeded to win two bronze
    medals, both in individual events. In the sabre event, Iulian Teodosiu stepped
    onto the third step of the podium, while Maria Boldor came in 3rd in
    the foil event. It was just expected from Teodosiu to succeed that. Iulian Teodosiu
    had already won three medals in nations’ competitions, in 2013, when the team
    won silver at the World Championships, in 2016, when the team won bronze, also
    in the World Championships, and also in 2016, when the Romanians won another
    bronze medal, this time in the European Championships. Foil fencer Maria Boldor used to have a constant and an apparently
    unassuming position among the world’s top 100 fencers, being placed somewhere around
    the 100th position. 26-year world Maria Boldor did not have exceptional
    results on the record, although she had competed in a great number of events ever
    since she was 17. However, her notable result in an individual event in Cairo earned Maria
    Boldor the 19th place according to the world rankings. The Romanian
    is also entitled to keeping her hopes high for the 2024 edition of the Olympic
    Games in Paris.


    In Cairo, the Romanian teams’ run was utterly disappointing. In the men’s
    sabre event, with Iulian Teodosiu and Răzvan Ursachi on the line-up, the
    Romanians were defeated in the very first round and came in 17th
    according to the final rankings. In women’s sabre, Romania was also defeated,
    again in the very first round, by Kazakhstan, and came in 18th. In
    the women’s foil event, with Maria Boldor fighting, the Romanians were
    outclassed by Singapore, also in the very first round, coming in 20th
    according to the final rankings. The women’s epee team was the only Romanian team to have lasted beyond the competition’s first round, when they defeated
    Canada yet losing to Italy, the bronze medalists in Tokyo. In the 9-16
    places tournament, Romania overpowered China, lost to Estonia and eventually
    defeated Egypt, coming in 11th according to the final rankings. A disappointing
    result, given that in 2016, the epee event earned Romania gold at the Olympic Games in
    Rio, in the nations’ competition, and silver in the individual event, in Tokyo,
    in 2021.(EN)


  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club

    The ongoing WTA tennis tournament
    in Great Britain’s Birmingham is an event with 251, 750 USD in prize money. Both
    Halep and Cirstea sustained defeats in the semi-finals. Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated Simona
    Halep, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Sorana Cirstea sustained a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 defeat by China’s
    Shuai Zhang. Simona Halep and Sorana Cirstea both received a cheque worth
    11,000 USD and were granted 110 WTA points.


    Qualifiers ahead of the
    Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon are well underway. In 2022, the tournament does
    not include tennis players from Russia and Belarus. In the ladies’ competition,
    the Romanian Alexandra Cadanţu-Ignatik defeated another Romanian, Cristina
    Dinu, 6-3, 6-1. In another match,
    the Romanian Gabriela Lee sustained a 2-6, 4-6 defeat by Zoe Hives of
    Australia. Another Romanian, Laura-Ioana Paar was defeated by US challenger Christina McHale, 2-6,
    6-4, 6-4. Cadanțu received a cheque worth 19, 000 GBP and was granted 20 WTA
    points. Dinu, Lee and Paar each received a cheque worth 11,000 GBP and were
    granted 2 WTA points.


    In the gentlemen’s competition,
    the Romanian Marius Copil sustained a 4-6, 3-6 defeat by the French opponent Constant
    Lestienne. Marius Copil received a
    cheque worth 11,000 GBP.


    Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek is
    at the top of the world women’s rankings. Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit and
    Tunisian Ons Jabeur are 2nd and 3rd-placed, respectively.
    The world’s top 100 tennis players include 5 other Romanians. Simona Halep is 19th-placed,
    Sorana Cîrstea is 36th, Irina-Camelia Begu, 43rd, Elena-Gabriela Ruse is 55th-placed,
    while Jacqueline Cristian is 70th-placed. The WTA men’s classification
    is headed by Daniil Medvedev, who is followed by Germany’s Alexander Zverev and
    Novak Djokovic of Serbia. The best-placed
    Romanian tennis player is Nicholas David Ionel, ranking 307th.


    (EN)

  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club

    The ongoing WTA tennis tournament
    in Great Britain’s Birmingham is an event with 251, 750 USD in prize money. Both
    Halep and Cirstea sustained defeats in the semi-finals. Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated Simona
    Halep, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Sorana Cirstea sustained a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 defeat by China’s
    Shuai Zhang. Simona Halep and Sorana Cirstea both received a cheque worth
    11,000 USD and were granted 110 WTA points.


    Qualifiers ahead of the
    Grand Slam tournament in Wimbledon are well underway. In 2022, the tournament does
    not include tennis players from Russia and Belarus. In the ladies’ competition,
    the Romanian Alexandra Cadanţu-Ignatik defeated another Romanian, Cristina
    Dinu, 6-3, 6-1. In another match,
    the Romanian Gabriela Lee sustained a 2-6, 4-6 defeat by Zoe Hives of
    Australia. Another Romanian, Laura-Ioana Paar was defeated by US challenger Christina McHale, 2-6,
    6-4, 6-4. Cadanțu received a cheque worth 19, 000 GBP and was granted 20 WTA
    points. Dinu, Lee and Paar each received a cheque worth 11,000 GBP and were
    granted 2 WTA points.


    In the gentlemen’s competition,
    the Romanian Marius Copil sustained a 4-6, 3-6 defeat by the French opponent Constant
    Lestienne. Marius Copil received a
    cheque worth 11,000 GBP.


    Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek is
    at the top of the world women’s rankings. Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit and
    Tunisian Ons Jabeur are 2nd and 3rd-placed, respectively.
    The world’s top 100 tennis players include 5 other Romanians. Simona Halep is 19th-placed,
    Sorana Cîrstea is 36th, Irina-Camelia Begu, 43rd, Elena-Gabriela Ruse is 55th-placed,
    while Jacqueline Cristian is 70th-placed. The WTA men’s classification
    is headed by Daniil Medvedev, who is followed by Germany’s Alexander Zverev and
    Novak Djokovic of Serbia. The best-placed
    Romanian tennis player is Nicholas David Ionel, ranking 307th.


    (EN)