LADYDRAGON.COM - Alexandra Dulgheru wins the Warsaw Open

Monday May 25, 2009

Alexandra Dulgheru wins the Warsaw Open

The Warsaw Open was a very special tournament for Dulgheru for many reasons. She came here late and was lucky to play at all – her match was postponed due to rain. She was playing better with every match, defeating very high ranking opponents on her way to the final: Sara Errani (Italy, WTA 44) and Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia, WTA 36). The last match against Bondarenko (Ukraine, WTA 39), who overcame Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinal, was simply astounding. It lasted nearly three hours during which both players fought for every single ball.

– This is an amazing success for me. My phone does not stop ringing, everybody wants to congratulate me – explained the ecstatic Romanian at her press conference. – I promised myself that I would get something nice, and later take my parents to a restaurant. Maybe we will have some Polish cuisine? – joked the champion when asked how she plans to celebrate her victory. During the time she played in Warsaw she made over twice as much as she did in her entire career up to this point. – All my hard work is paying off but I still have a lot of work ahead of me – admited the player. Thanks to her win here at the Warsaw Open, Alexandra will advance over 110 positions and break into the WTA top 100.

This is the second time Bondarenko lost a final in Warsaw. Two years ago she succumbed to Justine Henin. She was very distraught after the match and it took her a while to compose herself. – I did not know what to do in order to win. My coach told me to play faster, be more aggressive but I was afraid of making errors – she explained. When asked if the black outfit she sported in the final was unlucky she said: - I will never wear it again!