Romanian tennis player Sorana Cîrstea, ranked #27 WTA declared for NewsIn that, when she arrived in Holland at the Ordina Open, she didn’t know who she’ll team up with for the doubles matches, but was glad when the current WTA ranking leader, Dinara Safina, asked her to team up with her.

“When I arrived at the tournament, I didn’t know whether or not I’ll play doubles, but Dinara asked me if I want to team up with her, making me very happy. This was the first time we teamed up and played on the same side of the net. She is a very good player and I was very glad to have her as my doubles partner”

Sorana Cîrstea and Dinara Safina played together in doubles at Ordina Open, where they reached the quarterfinals. In the quarters they lost to the Italian pair Sara Errani/Flavia Pannetta.

Regarding her choice for partners in the doubles matches, Sorana says: “Every time I play doubles I have to to have a partner with wich I get along well outside the court, because this way I’m sure we also comunicate better on court. I feel comfortable playing alongside Maria Kirilenko or Caroline Wozniacki. At Wimbledon I’ll team up again with Caroline and I hope we’ll  have good results.”

After beating Monica Niculescu in both singles and doubles, Sorana told us:  “Of course, I talked to Monica after the matches. She was joking, saying she is sure we would have faced each other in the mixed doubles if they were scheduled at Ordina”

In the first round singles, Sorana played Monica Niculescu and won 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. In doubles, the pair Sorana Cîrstea/Dinara Safina beat Monica Niculescu/Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 6-2. In singles, Sorana lost in the second round to Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-3.

After reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, Sorana said a few words about what’s to come at Wimbledon. “I know that everybody expects a lot from me right now, but I’ll try not to think about results. I’ll try to play my best tennis in every match.”

Sorana remembers her French Open quarterfinal match lost to Samantha Stosur and knows how to change her game: “First of all I would play without the pressure of getting a good result, just as I did in the previous rounds. I’m relatively unexperienced and all of these situations are new for me..but  I’ll learn from each new experience.”

Sorana about how she started playing tennis: “I had only one idol: Stefi Graf. She is the reason why I started playing tennis. When I was 4 I saw a match between Steffi Graf and Monica Seles on tv and I fell in love with this sport. Juniors were a necessary step in my career but I do’t miss it. My best memories are from my pro career.”

Sorana Cîrstea turned 19 on April 7 and managed to reach the quarterfinals at this year’s French Opent. The last Romanian player to reach the quarters of Grand Slam was Irina Sparlea who played in the semifinals of the US Open in 1997.

source: NewsIn – translated from Romanian

You saw her at the Australian Open when she was only 17, eyes half-open in the strong Melbourne sun, you cheered for her when she won her first WTA tournament in Tashkent and you keep your fingers crossed so that she fulfills her dream: to get to the top of the women’s tennis rankings!

“I’m working hard during the winter break because my goal for 2009 is to get inside top 10″ explained Sorana when I asked if she can spare a few hours for an interview. She agreed without hesitation and without checking her schedule, telling me right away that she is glad to meet for an interview. Between the morning training on the tennis court and the afternoon physiotherapy session (she had an injury on her left arm), Sorana met me in front of the FRT  (Romanian Tennis Federation) building in Bucharest in a cold December day.

People don’t recognize her on the street

“Where do you want to take my picture?” she asked smiling as if we knew each other for a lifetime. We were now in the center of Bucharest in front of the University building and Sorana sat for a photo by one of the used book stands. It’s almost time for high school graduation exams for the best women’s tennis player in Romania and she is very aware of this new exam coming her way: “I was in Targoviste (Sorana’s home town) over the last couple of days… I have to go to school whenever I can. Next summer I have to pass the exams and there’s lots to study but I can manage”. She smiles, her face radiant with ambition. ” I want to get into college next fall, nothing sports-related… I was thinking Management, something business-related…I don’t know yet, I’ll figure it out by then” said the future student while we were crossing the interior yard of the old University.

The students and the other passers-by, hurrying to the subway station to escape the strong wind blowing that day in Bucharest, did not turn their heads after Sorana, (a tennis player that successfully represents Romania all over the world) as they would after Nicoleta Luciu (Romanian tabloid celebrity). “People on the street don’t recognize me because I look different than on TV or on the tennis court. I don’t mind it. I spend so little time in Romainia, and every time I’m here, especially during the winter, I am extremely tanned compared to everybody… it’s obvious every time I’m on the street. I like to interact with people and I don’t turn away when somebody asks for an autograph.”

Sorana, the winter holidays and her family

“I see my parents every time I’m in Romania. They are the first in line waiting for me at the airport and when I’m away playing tournaments we talk on the phone all the time. My dad is frightened that I spend so much time flying and every time I step into a plane he’s on needles until I call to tell him I arrived safely” - Sorana’s words about the relationship of an 18 year old tennis player with her family. “I am grateful to my parents for everything they did for me. If they wouldn’t have loved the sports as much as they do, I wouldn’t be here today. More so, If my mom and dad didn’t raise me to have a winner’s mentality – to fight to the last point in every match and not to give up even if  I’m behind 2 sets and 5-0, not to take anything for granted and mostly not to forget where I’m coming from – I probably wouldn’t play tennis at this level.”

As it started to rain outside, I thought we’ll end the afternoon over a cup of tea. “It’s great that we found a table in the non-smoking area …a tea please!” she decides immediately. We started talking about food, fitness and everything she does to stay in shape for the matches against the likes of Jankovic, Ivanovic or the Williams sisters.

“I follow a very strict diet, chicken, fish and beef, all grilled, fruits and veggies…of course if I really really miss it, I’ll eat a bit of chocolate…I’m not gonna kill myself over it (she laughs). Fast food?!! Yes, of course …only the salads”. She is surprisingly sincere. ” During the holidays I’ll be at home with my folks, but won’t eat any of  my mother’s tasty traditional meals. At most, I’ll have some chicken sarmale (Romanian cabbage rolls – traditionally filled with pork)”.

About Nadal and Federer

Who’s better to ask about these two great tennis players than somebody who bumps into them in hotels or on tournament coridors. ” Oh, Rafa is a super nice guy. He’s always surrounded by friends, by his spaniards, you can hear him loughing, singing, telling jokes..he is very sociable and pleasant. The girls are after him every time he shows up. I’m telling you, in person he’s even cuter  than on TV”.

What about Federer?  “Well, Federer is exactly the way he plays, elegant, educated..sometimes at parties or when more of us get together he looks like he’d like to loosen up and get into conversations but he spends most of the time with his girlfrend, Mirka”. What about you? nobody special on the tennis courts? She is loughing. “No time for things like that for now. That time wil come, but for now It’s 100% tennis. Anyway, what kind of relationship can you have when you’re away every couple of weeks?”

Source: Andra Popa, Hotnews.ro – translated from Romanian