Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse reveals she grew up idolizing Simona Halep and admits it’s never easy for her to play the two-time Grand Slam champion. Ruse, 24, has played Halep three times and he has no wins over the former world No.
1. Ruse clashed Halep twice year, losing in straight sets both times. At the Melbourne Summer Set 1 in January, Halep destroyed Ruse 6-2 6-1. A mobth later in Dubai, Halep crushed Ruse 6-3 6-2. “Simona was my idol — that’s why she beats me so bad!” Ruse told WTA insider.”
It’s hard to play against your idol. I will beat her once. That’s why I’m practicing and fighting. I need to beat my idol. “She’s a great person and we have a good relationship. I learned so many things from Simo.
She beat most of the legends.”
Ruse on winning her first WTA title
Ruse lifted her maiden WTA title last year in Hamburg. Just before the start of the tournament, Ruse received the sad news that a family member passed away.
Still, Ruse decided to stay in Hamburg and ended up winning the title as a qualifier. “I booked the tickets and I was going to come back to Romania, but for the first time in my life I said I’m going to play Hamburg,” Ruse said.
“I will cry. I will be sad. But I have to do my job and live my life. I cannot stop all the time when something happens to someone else. I’m a girl with a big heart and I care about the people around me and sometimes it’s not good for me.”
“I didn’t expect to win. I didn’t believe. But somehow I did it. And then I felt like I’m playing good. But I never thought about winning the tournament in that moment.”
