Tuesday 22nd April – Around Lunch time

Ahead of her very first Live Text Commentary on this website I would like to write a few words about Miriam Bulgaru, she is my favourite tennis player and I would like to briefly explain why.

For many years I have been a huge fan of Simona Halep, and despite being a Non-Romanian myself. The Lion Cub carried such passion for her country and influence I found myself supporting and following all Romanian players. For a while I had never actually watched any of Miriam’s matches but I did follow her live scores and stats and I became an Instant fan because I could see how much effort she applied from the match durations and from the way the scores unfolded. I think it was the first time I was regularly following and supporting a player I had not actually watched before. Whilst supporting my Great Britain team in Davis Cup in Manchester in 2023 I was regularly checking my phone looking at Miri’s live scores in Vienna.

it was however the Transylvania Open 2023 when I watched her two matches on the TV that I became such a huge fan of how she played, her energy, her work ethic, passion and glorious shot making. In front of her own fans in Romania she showed no signs of nerves and was an instant hit.

From then on I watch Miri whenever I possibly can, if there is no live stream I follow her live stats and scores. Since Federer and Halep retired she is the only tennis player who I feel all the emotions with. One match she played in Koper in 2024 was such a fantastic comeback I actually cried. I saw Miri live for the first time at Paris in the French Open qualifications in 2024, it was a thriller of a match, rain delays and ended on a match tiebreak, she gave everything.

I have watched Miri live seven times and seen her win five including her special debut WTA 125 Title win in Bucharest.

Anyway…. Players are warming up….

By the way during this commentary terms such as Little Champ and Bull Shark are referring to Miri, this one may be quite subjective!

3-0 Decent start by Miriam, couple of strong confident points on serve, Avdeeva responds but Miri holds facing no real danger. She energetically chases down Avdeeva’s service game, really pressing on the second serve points and gets herself an early break. One of Miriam’s biggest weapons is the huge forehand she absolutely cranks one at 30-15 and it goes long, she then loses the following point and puts herself in a spot of a danger. She saves the break point as a deuce duel unfolds, a huge wide serve from the ad side saves another break point. And she gets through the game with more big serving. Miri is full of energy, she is self motivating, lots of ‘Hais’ between the points, she’s bouncing up and down like a kangaroo. It’s a great start but she must not get carried away and try and hold her rhythm. She’s doing amazing so far!

4-0 Miri quickly asking questions again of her opponent, she goes up 0-40 Avdeeva saves one with an error from the Little Champ and then another with a nice volley winner at the net. An extended rally follows ending in another Bulgaru unforced and as Miri let’s out a little scream it’s deuce again. Another break point arrives but Avdeeva clears it with a big serve. Yet Miri creates one more with a drop shot winner. This one is converted as Avdeeva goes well long in a baseline exchange.

Well it’s been a brilliant start by Miriam Bulgaru, sadly there’s a few techy issues with the live feed hopefully it is fixed soon 🤔

4-1 Pictures are back! And so is one of Avdeeva’s breaks. Miri goes for another of her sneaky drop shots but credit to Avdeeva she gets this one back, Miri makes the overhead return yet there is not enough on it, she is a sitting duck at the net as Avdeeva clears up at the net and registers a game on the board for the first time this match.

5-2 Crisis averted as Miri regains the double break lead with more aggressive assaults on the Avdeeva serve. She is standing so far behind the baseline to take the first serves, she could give Nadal a run for his money. Again getting ever so slightly impatient on some of her service points and making it a little harder than it needs to be. A forehand error into the net sets up a break point for Avdeeva who does not need a second invitation and laps it up with a forehand into the open court. Miri still looks in charge but will feel she should be out of this set by now.

6-3 That was a good hold from Avdeeva she put herself under pressure with a wild forehand error but recovered well with a nice drop shot winner and a big serve out wide which was too much for the Little Champ who put the return long. Avdeeva still fighting. Miriam then seals the set with a strong service game. It looked like a love hold with a second serve Ace on set point but the mark was checked and was out yet no worries Miri took it on the next one!

6-3 1-0 The Bull Shark smells blood early in the second set. Thumping forehand cross court winner which just kisses the line gets her to 30-30, Avdeeva offers a strong defence forcing a backhand error in the next point. But Miri has her teeth sunk in now and we are soon at deuce. Avdeeva concedes the game with a double fault. And it really is on Miri to capitalise on the momentum and control this pattern of play to create a sizeable lead.

6-3 2-1 Miri screams in anger as she loses the first point of her service game. She has to control those emotions, far too early in the game to explode. She drops down to 0-30 but to her credit fights back to 30-30, a break point follows, Miri goes for a drop shot but it’s not very well executed, Avdeeva is there in plenty of time to square up. However the bouncing Bulgaru is back again on the next Avdeeva service game and causing lots trouble, she breaks again. Hopefully she can be a little more calm on the next service game, the match is hers, she just has to keep control.

6-3 4-1 Miri holds to 15 after losing the first point again, excellent attitude and response. Love the body language at the moment, full of positive energy and love that massive forehand which is doing so much damage again. Miri keeps the pressure on Avdeeva and gets 0-40 full credit to Avdeeva who saves two and really pushes Miri in the third but Miri stays strong and forces the error to break again. As much as I say Miri should stay positive, some of the noises she makes when she loses and gets angry are hilarious, it is that wonderful passion that forms such a likeable character on court.

6-3 4-2 deuce – Medical Time Out – Fair play to Miri, not put off by the slightly dodgy drop shot earlier and the one at 15-15 is exquisite in its delivery. But with another scream she’s soon under pressure on serve again forced to save another break point. However on game point she leaves herself exposed at the net again for Avdeeva to pass her and extend this game. Avdeeva really going for it in the rallies now hitting some big forehands at Miri as the deuces keep coming. This game could be a key plot point! Still it goes on, Avdeeva cannot put the the break points away, Miri at the far end chattering away to herself as they both try to escape this game. Eventually Avdeeva does break and as in set one cuts Miri’s double break lead but also as in set one you still would fancy Miri in the return game! Avdeeva looks like she’s going to have a quick hold racing to 30-0 but Miri pegs her back. At 30-30 Miri goes for a drop shot again but this one is poor with no disguise and it misses. At deuce Miri once again stuck at the net but retreats back to the baseline tracking the ball gets back in the rally and forces a break point. Another extended rally with both players going for it, Miri has a nasty fall, there is a break in play it looks like the physio has been called.

We are resuming.

6-3 4-3 Avdeeva comes through in the two points she needed on the resumption. Miri must be careful now, there is a good argument she would have broken again if she did not fall so she has to be mentally strong and stay in the present she still has one break!

6-3 5-4 Excellent work Bull Shark she holds to love – Great attitude Miri! Avdeeva responds well by also holding to love and asks Miri to serve for it!

6-3 5-6 Miri is broken to love and it’s all square again in set two. She must go after that Avdeeva serve again but her opponent is looking stronger now. Another double fault at 30-15 is a helpful contribution but Avdeeva wins the next two points and now Miri must serve to stay in the set

6-3 5-7 A couple of tight early points see Miri slip to 0-30 but she stands firm and levels for 30-30 with a loud ‘Hai’ but another drop shot is punished to give Avdeeva a set point which she seals with an aggressive forehand winner. That was a tough set to lose, this will now be a huge test for the Romanian, she leaves for a toilet break.

6-3 5-7 0-1 Good early pressure for 0-30 but Avdeeva gets through the game. Crunch time now, Miri needs a strong hold now like a rabbit needs carrots.

6-3 5-7 1-2 THERE SHE IS! Holds to love! Great work Little Champ! Now get after that serve!!!! Avdeeva races to 40-0 but Miri keeps it ticking over with another drop shot and then more pressure as Avdeeva goes long with the forehand. Miri draws her in again to set up a cross court pass but that goes agonisingly long and we start Act Three on serve.

Its another medical time out for the Little Champ, hope she is okay

6-3 5-7 2-3 Miri is back up and serving. Her body language definitely a little more flat as she works though the points no real reaction to winning or losing each one anymore. She gets the hold she needs and there’s a ‘Hai’ and a fist pump but something is definitely troubling her at the moment. Avdeeva holds to love with no difficulty as we continue to roll through the service games in set three.

6-3 5-7 4-3 Miri races to 40-0 but then is pegged back by an error and then Avdeeva pounces on second serve to get closer however a gorgeous forehand winner up the line seals the game for the Romanian and we go on. Miri is not giving up with the drop shot and this time drags Avdeeva in and puts in a cross court passing shot winner it was very close but this one is in and Miri roars! She then maximises for the next couple of points and we have our first break of set three.

6-3 5-7 5-3 The energy is back as Miri wins the first point and berates herself for losing the second. She screams ‘Come on’ at the top of her lungs as she wins the next two. She is invested now! She holds emphatically and pressure is now on Avdeeva!

6-3 5-7 5-4 Avdeeva holds of course she does! Miri has to serve for the match! Here we go again!

6-3 5-7 6-4 She has done it!!!! She needed to show character in that final set and she did. I started this commentary explaining why I loved Miri so much well this match summed it up perfectly. Congratulations Little Champ so proud of you 🥹