Adventure in Romania
I arrived at Bucharest Airport,the capital of Romania, on a flight operated by Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-costairline. The immigration process at the airport was challenging because it
coincided with other flights, and there was no staff to manage the queues.
Depending on the arrival time and seat location on the plane, it might take longer to complete immigration. It's advisable to factor this into your plans.
Purchasing a SIM Card andPicking Up the Rental Car
To avoid international roamingcharges, I bought a SIM card at an airport kiosk. I then headed to the departure lobby to meet the staff from the rental car company I had booked in
advance. Payments are generally made in the local currency, the Romanian Leu, but Euros are also accepted in areas frequented by foreigners.
Traveling to Brașov
Although I am accustomed todriving in Europe, this was my first time driving in Romania. Using Google Maps, I traveled from Bucharest to Brașov, about 160 kilometers away, where the tournament was held. The journey took approximately three and a half hours via
regular roads and mountain roads, encountering some traffic congestion along the way. I arrived at the official hotel, Regal Hotel, which was nicer than the official hotel at the previous Cairo tournament and had more friendly staff (in Cairo, tips were often required).
Romania is a place where Englishis commonly understood, so there was no language-related stress. Brașov has historically been influenced by Germany, and many German-style buildings can be seen in the city.
Experience at the Tournament Venue
At the tournament venue, we usedindoor clay courts, but there were only five courts in total, making warm-ups difficult. The indoor roof over courts 1-3 was very low, and the space behind
the baseline was narrow, making it challenging to move back on the court.
Despite these challenges, experiencing different courts is one of the joys of traveling for tournaments. However, the venue seemed to favor local players.
Due to the lack of space behindthe courts, spectators, coaches, and fellow players had to enter the court and sit on the sidelines to watch the matches. While it's not uncommon at ITF
Junior tournaments to watch from inside the court, I personally found it stressful to watch from the side as the balls were moving too fast and were too close.
Characteristics of RomanianPlayers
Romanian players are characterizedby being "large and powerful." The average height of the male players at this tournament was over 180 cm, and by the age of 16, it was common for
them to be around 185 cm. They were very aggressive, and their serve power was impressive. I was also surprised by the size and attacking power of Chinese players at the Shenzhen tournament in August, but the level at the Romanian tournament might have been higher.
Tennis Environment in Europe
Even at lower-grade tournaments,Europe offers a competitive environment. In the semifinals of this tournament, two unseeded Spanish junior players advanced (out of only two participants).
This reinforced my impression of the depth of Spanish male tennis talent (the winner of the previous Cairo tournament in November was also a Spanish junior).
Mobility in Europe
The high mobility of talent inEurope is evident, with a Romanian coach living in Spain accompanying Spanish players on a tour to Romania. Low-cost carriers like Wizz Air (and Vueling Air in Spain) facilitate smooth movement between Western and Eastern Europe.
Despite economic slowdowns, the EU's strength in allowing free movement of
people, goods, and capital was palpable.
Contact Information
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