Seven Romanian tennis players to keep an eye on

Seven Romanian tennis players have been making headlines around the world, with their good performances in international competitions. Here are the five women and two men the world should keep an eye on. Tennis ace Simona Halep (in opening picture) moved up to the 7th place in the WTA singles rankings, taking her to the equal highest position occupied by a Romanian. She recently won the Qatar Total Open in Doha, her first Premier 5 win. She beat German tennis player Angelique Kerber, 6-2, 6-3, after a one hour-game. This pushed her to the 9th place WTA, from her previous 10th position ranking. Halep was last year named most improve player by the WTA after a rapid rise through the rankings. Simona Halep, 22, is from the Romanian seaside city of Constanta, She started her career in 2008 playing in junior competitions. She is a former junior World No.1, and junior French Open champion. Her breakthrough year was in 2013, when started the year ranked 47th. Her first major tournament breakthrough came at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in May, gaining three of the biggest victories of her career. The same year she won the Nürnberger Versicherungscup and the Budapest Grand Prix. Then came the the New Haven Open win, as well as the Kremlin Cup and the the WTA Tournament of Champions. She ended the year ranking 11th. Halep entered top 10 in 2014, after winning points at the Australian Open. The Qatar Total Open win in Doha brought her the 9th place WTA, and then she moved up to the 7th position. Halep is coached by Wim Fisette, and her manager is former Romanian tennis player Virginia Ruzici.

Irina Begu, 23, was born in Bucharest and turned pro in 2005. She currently ranks 123rd in the WTA rankings. In 2011, she was number 234 WTA, and in 2012, she went up to the 96th place, after winning the Tashkent Open, and the Moorilla Hobart International. In 2013 she won the Topshelf Open. Her most recent win was at the Rio Open in the doubles, alongside María Irigoyen.

Sorana Cirstea, 23, is the second highest ranked Romanian tennis player in the WTA, after Halep. Born in the city of Targoviste in Romania, she currently ranks 27th in the singles ranking. Her all time high ranking was 21st WTA, in August 2013. She has appeared in the quarterfinals of the French Open and the final of the Rogers Cup. Monica Niculescu, currently ranked 53rd WTA, is 27. She is the third highest ranked Romanian tennis player in the WTA, and also the oldest in top 100. Her highest WTA ranking was no. 28 in singles, reached on February 27, 2012. Niculescu was born in Slatina, in Romania, and turned pro in 2002. She won the Brasil Tennis Cup in 2013, and in the doubles, she won GDF SUEZ Grand Prix in 2009, Moorilla Hobart International in 2012, alongside Irina Begu, Shenzhen Open and Moorilla Hobart International in 2014, both together with Klára Zakopalová. Alexandra Cadantu, 24, currently ranks 62nd in the WTA rankings. Her all time high ranking was 59th in January 2014. Currently residing in Romanian capital Bucharest, Cadantu was a runner -up at the Monterrey Open in 2012 in singles, and a runner – up at the Grand Prix SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, also in 2012. She also won eight International Tennis Federation tournament finals between 2006 and 2010 in singles, and six finals in the doubles category. Victor Hanescu, aged 32, currently ranks 80th in the ATP rankings. His career high was number 26 in 2009. He won the Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad in 2008 in singles, and the Austrian Open in 2008 and the Abierto Mexicano Telcel in 2011 alongside James Cerretani and Romanian Horia Tecau respectively. Horia Tecau, 29, currently ranks 26thn in the ATP in the doubles category. His all time high was 5th in 2012. He was the runner – up at Wimbledon doubles for three years in a row, 2010, 2011, and 2012. He won the Australian Open in 2012 together with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and was a runner up at the Australian Open in 2014 alongside Sania Mirza. He also won 17 ATP finals in the doubles between 2009 and 2014.