The Natalia Rogova Memorial National Tennis Tournament concluded on October 9 at the Specialized Tennis Sports School in Chișinău. The final day featured exciting matches, well-deserved awards and a special atmosphere that brought together different generations of Moldovan tennis.
The weather could hardly have been better for the players. Bright sunshine, temperatures of around 25°C and virtually no wind provided ideal conditions for the decisive matches on the school’s clay courts.
The Category II national tournament began on October 5 and was held with the involvement of the Tennis Federation of Moldova and the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova. The competition gave young players an opportunity to test their skills, gain valuable match experience and compete for podium finishes.
Tournament Winners and Medalists
Boys’ Singles U12
Top seed Stanislav Muntean claimed the title in convincing fashion, defeating Teodor Crainii 6–0, 6–1 in the final. Mihai Poparcea secured third place with a 6–4, 7–5 victory over Daniil Zavorotco.
Girls’ Singles U12
Amelia-Elena Seremet lived up to her top seeding with a 6–2, 6–1 victory over Evelina Cretu. Emilia Ciumac finished third after defeating Emilia Bolea 6–2, 6–0.
Boys’ Singles U14
- Ciorici emerged victorious after a hard-fought three-set final against A. Bogdan, winning 7–5, 4–6, 6–1. Alexandru Saban claimed third place.
Girls’ Singles U14
In the round-robin competition, Laura Garstea finished first, followed by Lia Darii in second place and Nadejda Pojar in third.
Girls’ Singles U16
Polina Chiriac delivered a dominant performance in the final, defeating Alexandra Barbanov 6–0, 6–0. Gabriela Cebotari secured third place with a 6–0, 6–3 victory over Sofia Bivol.
Boys’ Singles U18
Calin Efimenco captured the title with a 6–3, 6–2 victory over Bogdan-Vasile Caraus in the final. Sandu Ganga took third place after defeating Igor Melnic 6–0, 4–6, 6–3.
Men’s Singles
One of the most closely contested matches of the final day came in the men’s singles final, where Andrei Tatar defeated Stanislav Martinov in three sets, 6–0, 5–7, 6–2.
Dragos-Alexandru Calugar finished third after beating Igor Zaicenco 6–4, 7–5.
Doubles Competition
The doubles events also produced some exciting encounters.
In the Boys’ U12 doubles, Teodor Crainii and Mihai Poparcea claimed the title with a 6–4, 4–6, 10–7 victory over Robert Surlari and Luca Ciobanu.
In the Girls’ U12 doubles, Emilia Bolea and Amelia Seremet emerged victorious, defeating V. Ianiuc and I. Stratulat 6–3, 6–4.
The Boys’ U14 doubles title went to A. Sandu and S. Ganga, who came from a set down to defeat C. Pogor and C. Ciorici 3–6, 6–0, 10–6 in the final.
Honouring a Legacy That Connects Generations
The awards ceremony was a particularly meaningful part of the tournament’s final day.
Among those attending were Natalia Beliakova, Secretary General of the Tennis Federation of Moldova; Andrei Grossu, Director of the Specialized Tennis Sports School; and special guest Tamara Ivanovna Semikina, a former student of Natalia Rogova.
Tamara Ivanovna addressed the young players with warm and heartfelt words, highlighting the importance of respecting tennis traditions, recognising the dedication of coaches and honouring those who have devoted their lives to the development of the sport.
The awards were presented to the winners and medalists by Oleg Ivasco, the tournament’s chief referee.
The Natalia Rogova Memorial Tournament is about more than competitive results. It is an opportunity to strengthen the connection between generations, pay tribute to those who helped lay the foundations of tennis in Moldova and inspire young players to pursue new achievements.
The Tennis Federation of Moldova congratulates all the winners and medalists and extends its sincere thanks to the organisers, officials, coaches and parents for their contribution to the tournament. We wish all participants continued success on and off the court!
