“It's a special trophy and it will be there, in my soul”

The trophy from UniCredit Iași Open did not leave Irina's arms even after the award ceremony, came with him to the press conference, seated on the table, bright and precious, a special moment in her career.

Jil Teichmann passed 6-0, 7-5, conquering the sixth WTA trophy and the first of 2022. “I feel tired, but happy, fulfilled. It was a very good week, as I said, it's an unexpected but extremely working trophy“, They were her first words.

“I had difficult times, there were hard matches, thanks to the public I managed to get over them, they helped me and I can say that this trophy I owe it too“Added Irina, then summarized the final and identified her key moment.

“I started very well, it was a first set without mistakes, and then they intervened a bit and the emotions. I wanted to win the trophy and it was a moment at four or two, when I said ok, I have to return to my plan, to try again to lead the game,” Begu synthesized.

Irina Begu: “They found solutions to get over”

She feels rewarded with this trophy for the love and passion for tennis she has from childhood. “It's a great trophy and it will be there, in my soul. It was a wonderful week and yes, after all the work and all these months in which I suffered a little because my game did not show as I wished, it comes at a good time,” she said.

I assumed that if I win the trophy I would enter the first hundred. I no longer have these goals anymore, for me the most important thing is to enjoy every moment and how long will it be, to be a beautiful period – Irina Begu

82It is the place that the Romanian will climb from Monday, July 21, a jump of 28 positions compared to the Week of the Tournament in Iași

It can be seen that I was a constant athlete, that I had results throughout my career and I am extremely happy that I have now succeeded, at almost 35 years old, to win a trophy, to put it there, next to the others- Irina Begu

Finally, she returned to the thanks to the team, coach Victor Crivoi and physical trainer Lucian Nicolescu. “They supported me a lot, they helped me to overcome the difficult times I had in terms of health. We always face certain difficulties and they found solutions, variants to get over“She concluded.

Jil Teichmann, in tears after the final: “I let the emotions go out”

Jil Teichmann, in tears after the final of UniCredit Iași Open Photo: Roxana Fleșeru

Her opponent, Jil Teichmann, also returned in a last act after 4 years. A good result, but also the bitter taste of not conquering the trophy. “I am not too happy because I lost the final, but yes with this week when I had beautiful moments, with the victories, and overall it is a great result”, She summarized the participation in UniCredit Iași Open.

“In the final, I could not physically, I have already struggled with a few tours before. I am a fighter, I leave my heart on the field, but credit for Irina, had to go through the whole match to defeat me, congrats on it,” added Swiss.

“All week, but especially from the quarterfinals, it was very harsh, treatments over treatments, all bandaged, I look like a mummy“, Jil tried to joke.” It was a challenge and mental because you have to manage different things, your body, the opponent, the mind, there are challenges that I like to accept, but sometimes it is too much, “she concluded.

Before the award ceremony, Teichmann stayed on the bench and ran tears, hid his face in the towel. “I let the emotions go out, I tried to gather. There were different challenges and it was really hard for me, I was physically a disaster, I don't want to go into details, and there are times as much as you have to let everything get rid of“She explained.