WTA event in Romania??

Romania is one of the upcoming tennis nations and lists 5 players among the Top 100! :worship:

However, only one international tennis tournament of the ATP is held in the capital city Bucharest. Would you appreciate a WTA-tournament in Romania?

Where should it be held, on which surface and when? And the most interesting question: How could the Romanian tennis association persuade the WTA to invest in Romania and how could it be possible to attract new sponsors?

I'm interested in your opinion! :)

Of course! :shrug:
I've been wanting this for a LONG time. Europe needs more tournaments. Is it fair that Mexico has more tournaments than Germany or Russia? Is it fair that Uzbekistan, Qatar, UAE, South Korea, and now Azerbaijan get events and Romania, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Ukraine, etc. don't :rolleyes:

But I think Romania deserves it more than other countries since they are the future of women's tennis :shrug:
It should be held on clay where they play the ATP event :shrug:

We'll probably have one but not in the next 2-3 years. There were talks about an International (220k) tournament in Romania, but due to the financial crisis the sponsors postopned their support. Romania is still in recession but next year the economy will start growing again and maybe the sponsors will show some interest for a WTA tournament.

I think it should be held in Brasov on clay, just before RG. Brasov has one of the most beautiful tennis complexes I've ever seen ;) bigger stands are nedeed but there's enough space for that...


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/3021598405_ecc9064d21_o.jpg


http://www.hoinareala.ro/utile/3_79_olimpia%20bv3.jpg

Yes, one of the most picturesque tennis complexes I've ever seen, nestling between the houses of the old town :inlove:

Is it fair that Mexico has more tournaments than Germany or Russia? Is it fair that Uzbekistan, Qatar, UAE, South Korea, and now Azerbaijan get events and Romania, Greece, Serbia, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Ukraine, etc. don't :rolleyes:


Belgium has one in Hertogenbosch on grass ;)

I wish I were a billionaire , then I could sponsor a Wta event in Brasov

Belgium has one in Hertogenbosch on grass ;)

That is the Netherlands :p

Oh, I'm sorry! :spit:

But at least, they also speak Flamish ;)

Great news:bounce: The Romanian Federation signed a contract with BCR, the main sponsor of the ATP tournament "BCR Romania", to sponsor a WTA event starting with 2012.

source
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.frt.ro%2F_public%2Fresources%2F files%2FStrategia_FRT_2011.pdf

:woohoo:

Great news! :hearts:
It will be played on clay?

:woohoo:

Great news! :hearts:
It will be played on clay?

of course :hehehe:

:cheer:

:aparty:

Hopefully:
MD-Cirstea, Dulgheru, Niculescu, Halep, Begu, Gallovits-Hall
MDWC-Olaru, E.Bogdan, Gojnea
Q-Ungur, Cadantu
QWC-Dabija, Buzarnescu, A.Bogdan, Dinu

Did I forget anyone? Maybe Andrei or Szatmari? :unsure:

No, those two have been regressed the past years... :sad:

BCR Bank stopped sponsoring the men's event (starting this year BRD Bank will be the new sponsor), and will focus only on women tennis. This mean we might see a Premier tournament next year (or in the near future) in Romania...

The 100k+H tournament will be played at Herastrau Park Tennis Acadamy were a 2k temporary arena will be erected, but the WTA event could be played at BNR Arena. Halep, Begu, Olaru and E. Bogdan already announced their participation. website -> http://www.bcropen.ro/ro/

Gojnea also confirmed her participation! :D
Sorana is likely to do so according to Meelis in her thread! :cool:
Also Dokic who is defending her title there will probably show up! :yeah:
The organizers reckon with 5-6 Top 100 players
The wild cards will go exclusively to Romanian players, Olaru will receive one of the 4 main draw wildcards.

http://www.prosport.ro/alte-sporturi/tenis/mai-multe-jucatoare-din-top-100-wta-asteptate-la-bcr-open-romania-ladies-8417783

Gojnea also confirmed her participation! :D
Sorana is likely to do so according to Meelis in her thread! :cool:
Also Dokic who is defending her title there will probably show up! :yeah:
The organizers reckon with 5-6 Top 100 players


List is out. Zakopalova and Larsson are top foreign players. No Dokic though.

Romanian press :facepalm:

Klara will be top seed, though! :eek:

11 top 100 players at this point. Not bad.

Some will play Petange for sure.

Some will play Petange for sure.

?????

Hi,

I want to go see the matches of this tournament, it will be very interesting with lots of Romanian players participating here. I see on the official website that Halep, Begu, Cirstea, Gojnea, Cadantu and Ungur are already in the MD and Olaru, E. Bogdan, Enache, Dabija, Laura Andrei in the Qualies.

I noticed on the official website that the organizers will also give 4 MDWCs and 6 Qualy WCs, all to Romanians (as they state). Do you have any idea when the WCs will be announced and what players should get them ??? :)

I don't know and as far as I'm concerned the organizers haven't announced them yet, but I'm 1000% sure that Olaru will receive a main draw wildcard, though it would be better for her to play qualis... :o

If they only award wildcards to Romanian players, it would make sense to give them to the 3 following highest ranked Romanian players Bogdan, Enache and Dabija, but we will see... :shrug:

I'm already excited about the event! :)

Olaru will certainely receive a MDWC... and I agree with you, it would be normal that the rest 3 WCs to be awarded to the highest ranked players who couldn't make it to the WC.

What about the Qualies WCs? Is there any chance that some talented Romanian young players to get the 6 spots? If not, who would get them ???

Pous-Tio and Martic also confirmed their participation in the tournament: :)

http://www.prosport.ro/alte-sporturi/tenis/simona-halep-la-bcr-ladies-open-romania-8458363#comments

Suarez-Navarro and Krajicek are also mentioned.

Olaru will probably get in MD without a WC :shrug:

Olaru will probably get in MD without a WC :shrug:

Yeah, she is and can serve as a walking bye :rolleyes:

The full entry list:

1 HALEP, Simona ROU 58 1
2 BEGU, Irina-Camelia ROU 78 1
3 CIRSTEA, Sorana ROU 86 1
4 POUS-TIO, Laura ESP 90 1
5 MARTIC, Petra CRO 98 1
6 SUAREZ NAVARRO, Carla ESP 119 1
7 CAMERIN, Maria-Elena ITA 120 1
8 VORACOVA, Renata CZE 128 1
9 SOLER-ESPINOSA, Silvia ESP 140 1
10 DENTONI, Corinna ITA 145 1
11 VOEGELE, Stefanie SUI 152 1
12 KRAJICEK, Michaella NED 155 2
13 FLORIS, Anna ITA 157 2
14 SEMA, Erika JPN 158 1
15 GOJNEA, Madalina ROU 160 1
16 CADANTU, Alexandra ROU 167 1
17 THORPE, Laura FRA 172 1
18 BERTENS, Kiki NED 179 1
19 ZEC-PESKIRIC, Masa SLO 181 1
20 UNGUR, Liana-Gabriela ROU 183 1
21 OLARU, Iona-Raluca ROU 184 1
22 KOSTOVA, Elitsa BUL 186 1


Bogdan is first in qualifying and will probably get a WC.

Bogdan will be in directly, once the special exempt places are cleared.

Ah, didn't notice that :)

By the way, any news about TV or live stream coverage? :unsure:

TVR2 seems to be the only media (TV) partner so I suppose they will cover this tournament.:sad:

It seems that Elena Bogdan really could enter the main draw directly, so tournament director Marius Comanescu has announced that the 4 main draw wildcards will go to
* Elora Dabija
* Cristina Dinu
* Diana Enache
* Andreea Mitu

The 6 qualifying wildcards will go to
* Camelia Cristea :spit:
* Raluca Platon
* Andreea Iova
* Larissa Sporea
* Simona Ionescu
* Alexandra Damaschin

So, no wildcards to our young junior generation... :sad:

The main draw wildcards as expected to the highest ranked Romanian players who can't eneter directly. I don't know why Buzarnescu didn't want to enter, though... :shrug:

I think these are good WC choices since a lot of the younger girls are playing the European Championships :shrug:

I think these are good WC choices since a lot of the younger girls are playing the European Championships :shrug:

Good point but it's only the U14 and U16 girls, 4 girls total.

^U18 too :p

OK, some changes in the entry list because of late withdrawals and this is qualifying draw:

(1)Estrella Cabeza-Candela (ESP) v Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR)
Matilda Hamlin (SWE) v (wc)Georgiana Patrasc (ROU)

Larisa Sporea (ROU) v Zuzana Luknarova (SVK)
(7)Andreja Klepac (SLO) v Ionela-Andreea Iova (ROU)

(2)Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) v (wc)Gabriela Talaba (ROU)
Bianca Hincu (ROU) v Sabina Lupu (ROU)

Ingrid-Alexandra Radu (ROU) v (wc)Carla Georgescu (AUS)
(6)Eva Fernandez-Brugues (ESP) v Claudia Antonia Enache (ROU)

(3)Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) v Laura-Ioana Andrei (ROU)
Gabriela Duca (ROU) v (wc)Alexandra Damaschin (ROU)

Dalia Zafirova (BUL) v Agnes Szatmari (ROU)
(8)Annalisa Bona (ITA) v Darija Jurak (CRO)

(4)Natalie Piquion (FRA) v Elizaveta Ianchuk (UKR)
Nadiya Kichenok (UKR) v (wc)Lorena Gheorghe (ROU)

Raluca Elena Platon (ROU) v (wc)Simona Ionescu (ROU)
(5)Lenka Jurikova (SVK) v Alexandra Ion (ROU)

So the wildcards were awarded to Georgescu, Gheorghe, Talaba, Patrasc and at least the Romanian sportpress had 2 right with Damaschin and Ionescu (Iova, Platon and Sporea with direct entry)! :worship:

QR1

(1)Estrella Cabeza-Candela (ESP) d. Lyudmyla Kichenok (UKR) 61 62
Matilda Hamlin (SWE) d. (wc)Georgiana Patrasc (ROU) 62 76(2)

Zuzana Luknarova (SVK) d. Larisa Sporea (ROU) 61 61
(7)Andreja Klepac (SLO) d. Ionela-Andreea Iova (ROU) 60 60

(2)Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) d. (wc)Gabriela Talaba (ROU) 62 26 62 :lol:
Sabina Lupu (ROU) d. Bianca Hincu (ROU) 62 62

Ingrid-Alexandra Radu (ROU) d. (wc)Carla Georgescu (AUS) 61 61
(6)Eva Fernandez-Brugues (ESP) d. Claudia Antonia Enache (ROU) 60 61

Laura-Ioana Andrei (ROU) d. (3)Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 64 75 :banana: :banana:
(wc)Alexandra Damaschin (ROU) d. Gabriela Duca (ROU) 61 64

Agnes Szatmari (ROU) d. Dalia Zafirova (BUL) 63 62
(8)Annalisa Bona (ITA) d. Darija Jurak (CRO) 60 61

(4)Natalie Piquion (FRA) d. Elizaveta Ianchuk (UKR) 64 46 23 Ret.
Nadiya Kichenok (UKR) d. (wc)Lorena Gheorghe (ROU) 62 64

(wc)Simona Ionescu (ROU) d. Raluca Elena Platon (ROU) 57 64 76(3)
(5)Lenka Jurikova (SVK) d. Alexandra Ion (ROU) 61 60

Laura-Ioana is the first one making use of the home crowd and courts! :D

4 of 8 players in the quarters are from Romania! :worship:

And one is guaranteed in the semis because Sorana and Alexandra are playing each other! :)

Any news on the WTA event? :unsure:

Bucharest will still be 100k+H and Craiova is upgraded to 50k+H.

A 50k in Craiova? Wow, that's good news!