Sorana Cîrstea knew it was a unique moment, one that wouldn’t come again. She felt that next year, at least one of the players who took that historic photo at the Transylvania Open 2025 opening party—featuring almost all representatives of Romania’s greatest generation in women’s tennis—would no longer be playing. Her intuition proved to be right sooner than expected, and Simona Halep’s announcement on Tuesday evening deeply moved her.
“It was a complicated and overwhelming moment. When she gave that speech, I was overwhelmed with tears because, as I said, we’ve known each other since we were seven years old—27 years of memories. We pushed each other, we come from the same country, and that will always unite us. At the same time, I know my moment will come too, probably quite soon, though I don’t know what ‘soon’ really means.”
As players of the same generation, their careers evolved in parallel; they grew up under the same conditions, faced the same struggles and challenges, and relied on their parents’ support and sacrifices. They fought their way to the top of a demanding and competitive sport and stayed there for many years. Simona’s retirement was a moment of reflection for Sorana, a chance to look back on where they started, how they evolved, and everything they achieved.
She also sees the finish line ahead—she has spoken about it before—but she’s not there yet. She still feels young, and competitive, and sometimes wants it even more than before. That same desire has fueled her journey, pushing her forward, and setting new goals. So, she’s giving herself another year to chase them.
How was it to play in Cluj this week, in front of the home crowd?
“It was amazing, but also emotional. In recent years, I haven’t played much at home, and I must admit I had far more emotions than usual. I’m a strong person and usually manage to control my emotions, but here, at times, it was overwhelming. It was a mentally demanding week. I wanted it so much—and when you want something too much, you put too much pressure on yourself.
After my match, while on the bike recovering, I asked my coach: ‘How can I want it less?’ He said it was a good question and that he’d get back to me. But I think this drive is also what got me here and kept me in the Top 100, and Top 50 for so many years. I never expected to have such a long career.”
Watching your match here, it must be tough to go through these kinds of losses.
“It’s very tough because you’re alone. Except for the week when you win the tournament, every week you lose. And every week, you have to get over a loss—alone. You have your team, but at the end of the day, you go to your hotel room, and you’re alone with your thoughts, replaying points in your head. Many times, I dream that I won the match, and when I wake up, I realize I lost again.
Tennis consumes you 24/7. People say tennis is part of life, not your whole life, but at this level, it takes up all your time. Any high-performance sport demands complete dedication.”
Does it get easier to handle over time?
“Over time, I’ve learned to handle losses much better. When I was younger, I would cry for two or three days. Now, the pain lasts only that day, and by the next, I can move on. I’ve matured; I manage things differently. I’m more rational, more controlled. But emotions—no matter your age—never completely go away. They’re inside you, eating away at you every day.”
Speaking of emotions, you seemed very moved when Simona announced her retirement. How did you experience that moment?
“It was a complicated and overwhelming moment. When she went to hug her parents, I realized this was it—her last match, and that she would announce it. I stepped outside, I was in the lounge, but I walked onto the court out of respect. And when she gave that speech, I was overwhelmed with tears because, as I said, we’ve known each other since we were seven years old. That’s 27 years of memories. We pushed each other, we come from the same country, and that will always unite us.
At the same time, I know my moment will come too. Probably quite soon, though I don’t know what ‘soon’ really means. So, there were a lot of emotions; I was overwhelmed. But at the same time, I congratulate Simona for how she handled it, and for making this announcement at home. Simona will always have my respect for what she achieved. Being No. 1 in the world, winning two Grand Slams—that’s every player’s dream.”
How did you and Simona motivate and push each other throughout your careers?
“I think we were a golden generation for Romanian tennis, and we lifted each other up. Raluca Olaru was the first to break into the Top 100, then I followed, then Simona, Irina, and others. Simona had a much faster rise than the rest of us. But over time, seeing each other succeed gave us confidence. That was beneficial for everyone.
At the same time, I believe we were a generation built on hard work and sacrifice. We grew up without smartphones, dedicating ourselves to tennis 24/7. I loved school as well, and my parents were strict about education, but overall, we were a generation of pure dedication.”
What do you think your legacy is?
“What are we leaving behind? The belief that it’s possible. You can come from a small city in Romania, like I did from Târgoviște. You can come from a family with no tennis background. You can make it without a system, without financial help, without federation support. It’s possible to go far.
Of course, it comes with great sacrifices from parents. They are the ones who gave up everything, as Simona said too. I can say the same—I am here today because of my parents. But if there’s something we leave behind, it’s this belief that if you work hard and dedicate yourself to a goal, you can succeed.”
