March 23rd, flight to America.

It’s the second time this year that I travel to the U.S. The trip is quite long, I have two stops: one in Amsterdam and the second one in Atlanta. In total, about 20 hours to the final destination, Boca Raton. I’m landing in Miami so I’ll have to take a train to get to the family which will be my host this week.

I will travel alone for around 22 hours.
But I got used to it and I started to enjoy the longer flights. I have been traveling alone for eight years, with some exceptions where I have been accompanied by a coach, parents or other colleagues.

I remember my first trip away from Europe without any adult or coach to accompany me. It was 7 years ago, in Morocco. That’s when Cristina Adamescu asked me if I wanted to go with her for two tournaments in Morocco and I accepted. She took care of all the organization, from the plane tickets, to the hotel and transport. Back then I didn’t have any experience in organizing trips, but in the meantime I learned how to do it and it comes much more easier than before (every ITF player got good at it, because we have to buy plane tickets every week and look for the cheapest but still pleasant accommodation). I sometimes joke with other players that we can always open a travel agency.

Returning to our trip, we left for Morocco, the two of us alone. The first stop was in Milan, where we had a layover, but a long one, because it was the cheapest option. We both played two tournaments in a row, a W25 and a W10.  I lost in the second round at the W25 after qualifying on the main draw, a good result for me at that time.
But besides matches and training, I remember that we both got along very well and bonded more than the usual collegiality.
So there followed several tournaments where we went together, as much as our schedules intersected. Seven years later, we still keep in touch and see each other from time to time. By the way, I’m going to be a maid of honor at her wedding.

But is it possible to have a true friendship on the circuit or is it just collegiality? On one hand, it was a taboo subject, on the other, some articles about that subject were published in our press, but always in search of the sensational, the gossip.

The truth is, as always, in the middle.

On the tour you are always in competition with the other girls. Whether it’s a direct match, or related to other results because of the ranking, there is always competition and that’s why there are rare cases where friendships are made.

The ITF Pro Tour it’s slightly different from the point of view of socialization compared to the main circuit. Not being accompanied by a team – although lately, compared to six, seven years ago at this level too, many colleagues have started traveling with at least a person, coach or physiotherapist – to have them always around, you try to make friends with other players.

There are many things that we have in common and that connect us at the moment. There is always a topic for discussion. Whether it’s tennis, everyday life, the experiences we’ve been through, and in the end you feel good in this environment. On the „Aces of Tennis” show – for Digi Sport television, -, I was asked if I had ever shared a room with another player.
As I answered there as well, in fact there were rare cases where I was alone in the room. You usually find another player to split the costs with. Preferably one that you know – more or less – well, but with whom you know you have a connection.

Thus, friendships can between players exist. I made some.

I can tell you one of the most interesting stories about that topic. At one of the last tournaments I played, I shared a room with a colleague, whom I played against in the quarters right there. We’ve known each other from juniors, when I played with her one of the longest matches of my career, but we never were close. She seemed a bit grumpy to me, not the most sociable player. But in this case appearances were deceiving. In this case, the guesthouse owner was the one who found us roommates, so at one moment she knocked at my door. She turned out to be one of the most likeable players. We talked a lot about tennis, she loved this topic and was open to conversation. She analyzed the players and the game very well.

We warmed up together before our quarterfinals match. I lost but the level of the match was good and this match was the only one after which I talked with my opponent about what happened on the court and we analyzed the important moments together. This rarely happens on the circuit. We recently met again at another tournament, where we should have played in doubles together. She cheered for me throughout my singles match, even though there were 7 degrees outside. Very few do this in women tennis.

So even though we can’t form a friendship in which we see each other often or we don’t manage to keep in touch every day, we are lucky enough to meet wonderful people and when we see them again, we enjoy the time we spend together.

And the unpleasant moments, there are also some of these, are quickly forgotten.

Alături de Miriam Bulgaru, Cristina Adamescu, Irina Fetecău, Polina Leykina și Marie Benoît