Tennis: Romania to have first-ever eight players at Wimbledon

Romania will have first-ever eight players on a main singles board of a Grand Slam tournament, namely Wimbledon, after Alexandra Dulgheru and Elena-Gabriela Ruse qualified on Thursday by the victories clinched in the last tour of the preliminary phase.

Romania already had six players in the top 100 qualified directly due to their ranking: Simona Halep, first seed, Mihaela Buzarnescu, 29th seed, Irina Begu, Sorana Cirstea, Monica Niculescu and Ana Bogdan.

Alexandra Dulgheru (aged 29, WTA's 126th) the world's former no. 26, kicked out on Thursday Slovenian Tamara Zidansek (20 years old, WTA's 96th), the first seed of the preliminary phase, 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-0, after two hours and 26 minutes.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse (aged 20, WTA's 197th) will be the first time on the main board of a Grand Slam tournament, after having defeated Austrian Barbara Haas (22 years old, 215th in WTA), 6-0, 7- 5.

The two Romanians secured cheques worth 39,000 pounds and 50 points each for qualifying on the main board.

The singles draw will take place in London, on Friday.AGERPRES (RO - author: Mihai Tenea, editor: Adrian Dragut; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi, editor: Simona Iacob)