| RADIO ROMANIA INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CLUB–ROMANIANS AT THE ROLAND GARROS TENNIS TOURNAMENT(30.05.2007) |
| (2007-05-30) |
| Last updated: 2007-05-30 15:11 EET |
The tennis tournament in Roland Garros is currently underway in France. This is the world’s most important clay-court tennis tournament. The prize money at stake totals millions of euros, and the performances of the players could lead to major changes in the international seedings.
This year, three Romanians entered the main tournament. In the men’s competition, Victor Hanescu was Romanian’s representative, though he failed to put on a memorable performance. He left the tournament after the first round, loosing in three sets, to Argentinian Guillermo Cannas, seeded 19th. The South-American snatched his victory, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. In the women’s competition the Romanians are relying on Edina Gallovits and Raluca Olaru.
For Romanian tennis, Rolland Garros is a Grand Slam tournament in which the nation’s most famous tennis players put on their greatest performances. More than three decades ago, Ilie Nastase won the tournament twice. In 1970, Nastase and Ion Tiriac teamed up and won the men’s doubles competition. Ion Tiriac is of course now a high-flying businessman and was President of the Romanian Olympic Committee. In 1973, Nastase compelled recognition in men’s singles, following an astonishing performance in which he failed to concede a single set. At that time, Nastase was among the tennis players who reigned supreme in the world seedings, and was the official leader of the WTA official standings, initiated during that period. Perhaps for this reason, in the recent editions of the tournament, Nastase’s matches in the “old boys” event drew the largest audience.
In the women’s event, the key players were Florentsa Mihai and Virginia Ruzici. Mihai was a finalist in 1977 and Ruzici won the tournament in 1978, both in the women’s singles, and doubles competition, alongside Mima Jausovec from the former Yugoslavia.
(Florin Orban)
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2026-04-20
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