RRI Sports Club

At the Wimbledon tennis tournament, 6 Romanian players have moved past the first tour in the singles competition. Each of them has secured at least GBP 78,000, but no points in the world ranking, given that the WTA and ATP will not assign points for this year's tournament in Britain. The 2 international professional associations made this decision after the British organisers banned Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part.

The first Romanians to qualify into the second round were Sorana Cîrstea and Irina Begu. On Monday, Cîrstea, no. 32 in the world, won 7-6, 7-6 against Alexandra Krunic, of Serbia, WTA 107. Begu, ranking 43rd WTA, had an easier job playing the Georgian Ekaterine Gorgodze, no. 114 in the world, whom she defeated 6-4, 6-1.

On Tuesday, Mihaela Buzărnescu, ranked 127 among the world's professional players, defeated Nastasja Schunk of Germany, 6-4, 6-2. Ana Bogdan, no. 111, was the first Romanian athlete to defeat a better-ranked player, i.e. Ukrainian Dayana Yastemska, no. 74. At her second participation in the All England Club competition, after the 2017 season, Bogdan won 6-2, 6-2.

Next came Simona Halep, the 2019 Wimbledon champion and the best-placed Romanian player in the WTA ranking (18th). She beat the Czech Carolina Muchova in 2 sets, 6-3, 6-2. And last but not least, Irina Bara, no. 122 WTA, outplayed Chloé Paquet of France, 6-2, 6-4.

The only Romanian left behind is Elena Gabriela Ruse, no. 54 WTA. She had to take on the young American Cori Gauff, seed no 11 and no 12 in the world standings. After a dramatic match, Gauff won 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, and Ruse won GBP 50,000. (AMP)