Simona Halep and Juan Martin del Potro, amazed by the tennis center they found in the Republic of Moldova: “An impressive project”
Article by David Istrate – Published Saturday, May 23, 2026, 9:06 p.m. / Updated Saturday, May 23, 2026, 9:09 p.m.
Under the gaze of approximately 1000 spectators, Simona Halep (34 years old) and Juan Martin del Potro (37 years old) participated in a demonstration match in Chisinau, where the National Tennis Center was inaugurated.
In the last two years, the Tennis Federation of the Republic of Moldova has been working on the construction of the National Tennis Center, a place designed to develop this sport in the Republic of Moldova. Built on the grounds of the USA Tennis Federation's Orlando campus, the center has both indoor and outdoor courts.
Simona Halep and Juan Martin del Potro, welcomed with polenta, sarmales and wine in Chisinau
To inaugurate the National Tennis Center, the Tennis Federation of the Republic of Moldova invited them to Chisinau Simona Halep, double Grand Slam winner and former world leader, and Juan Martin del Potro, US Open champion and former world number 3.
They were received since Friday with the specific hospitality of the Moldovans and ate traditional dishes from that area.
“I ate polenta last night and sarmale. I really enjoyed last night's meal and visited Cricova. It was impressive what you have here and very pleasant for me that I had the opportunity to see something like this, to visit something like this”, said Halep, according to Pro TV Chisinau.
“I tasted a very good wine. Also the food. Hopefully we will have a lot of interesting things going on tonight,” added Del Potro.
On Saturday, May 23, they visited the National Tennis Center, accompanied by so Ceslav Ciuhrii, the president of the federation, as well as Alexandru Munteanu, the prime minister of the Republic of Moldova.
“I'm really excited because it's been a long road and finally here we are. It's the first dream come true regarding the tennis infrastructure in the Republic of Moldova, but our road is just beginning,” said Ciuhrii.
“Here, more and more children will love this wonderful sport. It was a long road, it was complicated, but that's not important. It is important that we are here, you can see these grounds and the most important thing is what will come here“, he added.
Simona Halep and Radu Albot, victory over Lia Belibova and Juan Martin del Potro: “It's a joy to be present here”
The climax of the event was represented by a demonstration match where Halep and Del Potro were accompanied by Radu Albot and Lia Belibova, Moldovan tennis players. In front of about 1000 spectators, Halep/Albot beat Belibova/Del Potro 6-4, 2-6, 10-7.
“It's an honor and a joy to be here at this wonderful center. It's an impressive project. What can I say? I'm happy for these kids, who are starting tennis today,” said Halep.
“It's amazing for the kids. More and more will come to play. Not many countries have such good conditions. I wish them success and I am honored to be here“, said Del Potro, according to moldova1.md.
Also, Albot was impressed by the conditions that the new generation of tennis players from the Republic of Moldova will have.
“If we go back in time and I remember the time when I was a child. You can't even compare what we have here with where I trained. It's something special. I played on wooden courts, I played on clay that had stones, the courts were very bad. But here we have something completely different, we have hard, top class, very good quality and we have clay courts that are like at Roland Garros”, explained the Moldovan athlete.
In the following period, the National Tennis Center will host Moldova Open, a tournament in the ATP Challenger 100 category. Then, between June 10-13, the Davis Cup Europe Group III matches will take place there.
Simona Halep: “I miss the adrenaline I used to have during matches”
Life after tennis is not complicated, we were even talking yesterday, I wanted to retire, because I felt that I was exhausted and that I gave my best. I enjoy this period, that I can relax, disconnect from the pressure, from the tension.
There were many years when I was effectively in a trance and now I realize how hard it was. I miss the routine of the tours, I don't miss the travel. I miss the adrenaline I used to have at matches, I miss the moment when I would win even a point. I was showing myself.
I miss tennis but I can't complain, I mean I'm fine now and I try to enjoy what I've done
– Simona Halep, present in Chisinau, at the inauguration of the National Tennis Center of the Republic of Moldovaaccording to as.ro
