The story of Moldovan champion Eva Yurina, age category “under 18”
We continue our series of stories about the winners of the 2026 Moldovan Championship. Today’s heroine is Eva Yurina, the national champion among girls under 18. She has several seasons of international tournaments under her belt, including victories in ITF and Tennis competitions. Europe , and ahead lies a new stage that gradually brings her closer to adult tennis.
It’s hard to believe today, but at the beginning of her athletic career, Eva didn’t always win even national competitions. At Moldovan Tennis Federation tournaments, she often finished third or fourth, while her training group friends regularly reached the podium. For a child, this was a difficult test, causing her to doubt her own abilities.
Babolat junior tournament series Green and Orange .
It was there that I achieved my first major victories, which made me believe in myself. And the final tournament of the series was Babolat The Masters , where Eva became the winner, finally changed her attitude towards tennis.
“That’s when I realized that tennis was no longer just a hobby, but something much more.”
Eva’s mother first brought her to the court when she was just four years and nine months old. Her first coach was Tamara Ivanovna Semikina, to whom the athlete remains grateful for her patience, care, and passion for her craft.
Before tennis, Eva was seriously involved in dancing. But one day, her mother suggested she choose what to devote more time to.
The answer was immediate. Tennis.
By the age of five or six, she began to understand that this sport requires discipline and total dedication. The first thoughts of a professional career emerged a few years later, when she began competing in Tennis tournaments. Europe .
Today, international competitions have long been a regular part of her calendar. This season, Eva won the Moldovan U18 Championship, a title that holds special significance for her.
“If you compete under the flag of Moldova, you must fight for the championship in your country.”
For Eva, winning at home is no less valuable than successful performances abroad. She believes that international results should be confirmed at the national level. This is how respect for one’s own championship and the country one represents is built.
This season has been particularly successful for her in doubles. Eva won two ITF J30 tournaments with different partners: first with Ukrainian Nehria Nicoli , then with Moldovan tennis player Romina Hâncu .
The athlete herself admits that doubles tennis has always been easier for her than singles.
“I love playing doubles because you’re fighting not only for yourself but also for the team. When you have someone who understands you almost without words, you become one.”
At the same time, it was doubles tennis that helped her change her attitude towards singles matches.
“I realized that it’s impossible to control absolutely everything. There are weather conditions, different balls, different circumstances. You need to focus only on what you can control.”
This idea later became one of the foundations of her game.
Eva considers the second round of the ITF J100 tournament in Istanbul one of the most important matches of her career. After a confident first set win, she allowed her opponent to impose her style, but managed to regain control of the match and win the deciding set.
It was then that she realized that starting the meeting well was not enough.
You need to stay focused until the very end, constantly look for opportunities to improve your game and not let your opponent feel like she’s back in the match again.
An equally important lesson came after the defeat.
The first round of the European Under-18 Individual Championship in Austria ended in two tiebreak losses—6-7, 6-7. Despite the defeat, Eva considers this match one of the best of her career.
It was then that she finally realized how important psychology is in modern tennis.
“Tiebreaks are a special part of a match. That’s when you need to stay calm, think clearly, and take responsibility.”
The transition from the national to the international level turned out to be, first and foremost, a test of character for her.
Not the speed of the game.
Not the physical preparation of the opponents.
It is precisely faith in one’s own strength.
At her first international tournaments, Eva struggled to win even a single match for a long time. But gradually, with experience, calm came. With each new tournament, she became more confident on the court and less and less doubtful of her abilities.
Two close friends, Liya Belibova and Yana Semikina, played a special role in this.
Eva admits that their support helped her get through the most difficult moments of her sporting life.
In world tennis, she is inspired by Aryna Sabalenka and Mirra Andreeva.
She enjoys an attacking style of play, a desire to constantly dictate the terms on the court and not give up the initiative to her opponent.
This is exactly the kind of tennis she strives to build herself.
The European U18 Individual Championship in Austria made a particularly strong impression on her. There, she saw the best players from their countries, and was most impressed by the performance of the top-seeded representative from Spain.
Complete calm. Absolute emotional control. The ability to play a match entirely according to one’s own scenario. This is the level of self-control Eva aspires to one day achieve.
Today, her immediate goals are already connected with the next stage of her career.
She plans to enroll in a top US university and continue her career in the American collegiate tennis system. To do this, she needs to improve her UTR ranking, consistently perform in international tournaments, and gradually progress to the adult professional tour.
The next goal is to debut in adult ITF tournaments and earn first WTA ranking points.
If we imagine that in a few years Eva returns to the National Tennis Center as a professional athlete, she would have only one thing to say to the young players:
Don’t be afraid to push your limits. Go to international tournaments more often. Don’t be afraid to lose. And definitely believe in yourself!
“You can learn something good from any defeat. The key is to maintain a positive attitude. True progress is built on positive emotions.”
Eva Yurina’s story isn’t just about tournament victories and a championship title. It’s the story of an athlete who overcame her own doubts, learned to trust herself, and gradually turned inner confidence into a key element of her game.
It is precisely these victories over oneself that often become the most important step on the path to great sporting achievements.
Blitz
Favorite surface: hard
Favorite shot: forehand down the line
Favorite Grand Slam tournament: Australian Open
Favorite tennis player: Maria Sharapova
Most memorable trip: ITF J100 in Istanbul, where Yana Semikina and I won silver in doubles
Who do you dream of playing with one day? Charo Esquiva Banuls
Favorite activity outside of tennis: hanging out with friends
Favorite post-tournament dish: spaghetti in tomato sauce
Three qualities that help you win: endurance, perseverance, confidence
Biggest sports dream: to stay in professional tennis for as long as possible and one day play for the Moldovan national team in Billie Jean King Cup
