Sports Flash
Updates from tennis, basketball, handball and football.
Florin Orban, 01.10.2026, 13:45
Romanian tennis player Gabriela Ruse beat Austria’s Lilli Tagger 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the WTA 1,000 tournament in Beijing, which offers $9.4 million in prize money. The 28-year-old Romanian, ranked 62nd in the WTA rankings, won after one hour and 24 minutes in her first meeting with Tagger, an 18-year-old ranked 61st in the world. Ruse earned a $36,110 prize and 35 WTA ranking points. In the second round on Friday, she will face Linda Noskova, the fifth seed. The 21-year-old Czech, ranked sixth in the world, won Wimbledon this year. She was also part of the Czech team that won the Billie Jean King Cup. Ruse and Noskova met earlier this year on grass in Bad Homburg in June, when the Romanian won 6-1, 6-3.
In their opening game of this season’s EuroCup basketball competition, Group B, Romanian champions U-BT Cluj-Napoca suffered a heavy 89-55 away defeat against Italian side Maxima Roma. The Cluj team’s top performer was American Javonte Smart, with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists. U-BT will play their next game at home on 7 October against another Italian side, Umana Reyer Venezia.
In men’s basketball, Dinamo Bucharest comfortably qualified for the FIBA Europe Cup group stage. On Wednesday, Dinamo beat Kosovo’s KB Peja 105-83 at home in the second leg of the qualifying round. Robin Mandisodza was the hosts’ top scorer with 12 points. The Romanian side had already secured qualification in the first leg, winning 96-58 in Kosovo.
In men’s handball, CSM Bucharest lost 39-32 away to Swiss side Kadetten Schaffhausen on Wednesday in their opening match of the EHF European League, Group C. Andrei Drăgan was the Tigers’ top scorer with 11 goals. In the second round, CSM Bucharest will play at home against French side Chambéry on 6 October.
On Friday, Romania will face Poland away in their third match in Nations League Group B4. A week ago, the Romanians lost 2-1 away to Sweden, before suffering a 4-2 home defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday. They will be up against Sweden next Monday, at home. (EE)
