History for Romania - final for Bogdan and Halep

[6 June 2008]

Incredible! Magnifique! Just great!

Ema Bogdan and Simona Halep are writing the history right now making the first romanian final between two romanian players in a Grand Slam Juniors Event!

Elena Bogdan and Simona Halep will make history at Roland Garros on Sunday when they play the first all-Romanian Junior Grand Slam final. Whoever wins will become the second Romanian to win the girls' title in Paris and follow in the footsteps of previous Romanian champions Andrei Pavel, who won the boys' title in 1992, and 1974 girls' champion Mariana Simionescu but this will be the first time since ITF Junior grand slams began that two players from Romania have played for such a prestigious junior title.

"It means very much to me to be in the final," said Bogdan. "I've never been in a final like this and also playing against another Romanian, a friend of mine means it's going to be a very big match. It never happened before and it's great." Bogdan beat Lenka Jurikova of Slovakia 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to earn her shot at the title and afterwards she admitted that the occasion had very nearly got to her in the semi-finals. "Today I was a little bit nervous. I don't know why, but I was like dizzy because I was so nervous and I called the doctor. He gave me a pill but I think I was just a bit too nervous. It was good that I won." When asked how she got past her bout of stage fright, Bogdan laughed and said: "I didn't! I just fought and I tried to play my game and that's how I got through. I'm a little bit tired after this match but I will recover."

Bogdan and Halep are on good terms away from the court and once shared a coach, so there should be no surprises when they face each other on Sunday. "We are friends, we know each other very well," said Bogdan. "I don't think it makes it harder that she is a friend, I think it will be the same. It will be good that I know her game and that might make it easier but then she also knows how I play so we will see." Bogdan also knows that she will have her work cut out against Halep, who has been enjoying a rich vein of form since the European clay-court season began and has won her last 11 matches, including a tournament victory in the Grade A Trofeo Bonfiglio in Milan.

ROMANIA, STAND UP,
It's time to be proud!

Congratulations!

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