There is something about playing in Romania that brings out the very best of Miriam Bulgaru. In October 2023 she scored her first WTA Main tour win at the home 250 Tournament in Cluj, the Transylvania Open. She produced fearless and energetic tennis in front of the home crowd and very nearly made it to the quarter finals in a close second round match. The following year she won in the opening round of Iasi against the second seed Tatijana Maria and a few months later, famously won her first WTA tour title in Bucharest. Today she has a tough assignment against the Swiss Player, Jil Teichmann. However neither have had a great deal of success in recent months and both go to Iasi in quite poor form. Although they have never met before Teichmann is a proper hander (left). A year ago that might have put the fear of God into the Little Champ who seemed to face a series of proper handers in a row in the first half of 2024, losing most of them. However since the title run in Bucharest where Miri took down the proper handed Gorgodze in the semi finals she is 3/3 against proper handed players and has definitely found an affective method against them with her attacking forehand. This coupled with the fact Miri is at home makes her the marginal favourite against the Swiss 6th seed. However, it is not going to be easy and Miri’s confidence has been low lately, hopefully the Romanians can lift her to another famous win at Iasi. Miri to win in three sets is the prediction and the fingers are crossed. It’s starting in the next hour or so, so do join us later…

Players are warming up..

3-0 Miri is serving first, strong opening point, pushing her opponent around the court and looking to get forward. The Romanian will need a good high percentage of first serves in this match. Miri holds and ends the game as strongly as she starts, coming in behind a booming backhand up the line to tidy up with a volley at the net. Super point from Miri as Teichmann starts her service deal, firing a series of cross court backhands before finding a winner but Teichman hits a gorgeous forehand thumping up the line to draw level in the game. She draws Miri in with a dropshot which she reaches but Teichmann is there and Miri is unable to make the volley return. However a couple of unforced errors follow and give Miri the first break point chance. It’s a tentative second serve from Teichmann leading to a baseline duel where Miri plays a super dropshot and gets the break through. An excellent start. Miri backs up her break with a strong hold of serve and Jill Teichmann is looking a little lost at sea, very solid tennis from Bulgaru and the errors are piling up from the Swiss player. Next game for her will be critical.

5-0 Another excellent point starts the next game, as Teichmann again tries to draw Miri in but she makes it and wins a volley battle at the net. Another error from Teichman puts her in danger at 0-30 but she’s soon back to 30-30. Miri is relentless however showing some excellent length from the back of the court, and draws another break point from her baffled opponent. Teichmann double faults and Miri goes 4-0 up with the double break. Excellent composure from Miri, very important she stays in the present now. Miri holds again to love, she’s 5-0 up in under 20 minutes. Yes Teichmann is not playing her best but it’s superb tennis from Miriam, she’s pelting the ball from both wings, licking the lines, her body language is great, she’s got good energy and rhythm and looking to complete her best set of the tennis of the year.

6-1 One of Teichmann’s strengths which is still a clear and present danger is how good she can be at the net and she reminds Miriam of this with a lovely volley winner to kick off the next game. Yet she’s still leaking too many errors in this set. It’s a struggle and a mixed bag of a service game but Teichmann finally gets on the board as she seals her first game with an inside in forehand winner to at least ask Miri if she can serve this impressive set out. Teichmann finds her way into Miri’s service game to get her first break point of the match but Miri’s feeling confident today so she goes to her favourite baseline dropshot and lands it perfectly to avert the danger. We are at deuce and a couple more errors later Miri has won the opening set empathetically. She has been excellent. Just two unforced errors in the whole set. Say what you will about Jil Teichmann but Gold Star for the Little Champ. There were warnings towards the end of the first set however, let’s hope she can stay in the zone because this is incredible!!

6-1 2-1 So Teichmann to kick off set two, more Bulgaru brilliance early in the game as she makes a drop shot again and scores a lob winner. There’s a couple of double faults in this one too and we are soon at deuce yet she eventually scrambles her way out of the game, fending off Miri who continues to battle away at her until a couple of errors give Teichmann a clear runway. Miri comfortably gets to 40-0 yet Teichmann is able to fire a ‘not yet’ forehand missile at her, however Miri is serving brilliantly and she is out of the game in the next point. More pressure from the Little Champ and she’s soon 0-30 but a decent wide second service from Teichmann frees up another forehand winner to get her into the game. She finds a a cross court backhand winner too which gets her to game point. There have been so many errors from the Swiss player, the great shots are few and far between especially the backhand. She’s soon staring at another break point. As a rally develops Teichmann gets forward and Miri stings her with a beautiful forehand passing winner down the line. It’s a set and a break now and the Romanian continues to dominate!

6-1 2-3 Miri loses the first point of her next service game but an exquisite drop shot winner follows. However a few errors start to fly from the Miri racket and Teichmann has a couple of break back points. She thinks she’s nailed it with a powerful forehand up the line but it’s a fraction long. Another excellent point from Miri follows as she pumps a backhand down the line, Teichmann gets it back but Miri sends a crunching forehand winner down the line to get to deuce. However Teichmann is not letting go and draws another couple of errors from the Romanian to pull it back on serve and it’s game on! Teichmann is definitely starting to find her range a bit more now. She gets to 40-15 there’s some excellent defending from Miri especially on the backhand side going into the proper hander’s deadly forehand but as soon as Teichmann finds the space she uses said forehand to launch another bullet up the line and it’s now a match.

6-1 3-4 A much needed service hold from Miri, she has stayed calm, she knows Teichmann has shifted through the gears she gets a bit of help as Teichmann misses with the forehand but she looks strong once more. A flurry of attacking forehands from Miri as she aggressively goes after Teichmann again drawing an error out of her. Then the famous Miri dropshot follows Teichmann is there but lobbed and misses the return. Then a double fault and three break points and just as Teichmann was starting to come alive in this match she’s in trouble once more. She saves the first with the faithful forehand, or relatively faithful. A Miri unforced into the net helps her out with the second and then another forehand winner gets her to deuce and the pendulum has swung again. Miri throws everything into the next rally but it ends in another error. Another long rally follows and this one also ends with the Romanian going wide and it has to be said, that was a super save from Teichmann, she’s clinging on and still a threat.

6-1 5-4 Slightly worrying opening point from Miri, she’s over pressing and goes well long with the forehand to give Teichmann the early advantage in the game but Miri gets her again with the drop lob winner combo. A Teichmann smash at the net puts her in front but Miri wrestles it back to 30-30. The Swiss errors are still seeping in as Miri gets to game point however she is pushed back to deuce, along comes the drop shot again, perfect disguise on this one, Teichmann has no chance and it’s game point. Miri seals it with a booming backhand up the line and with a cry of ‘Come on!’ She holds and will fancy another go at Teichmann’s serve. What do we get on the first point a drop shot and lob winner of course! Miri is quickly 0-30 up as Teichmann coughs up another error to put herself in danger and then she gets a time warning which will not help her mood much. Another drop shot winner this one is absolutely beautiful and it’s 0-40 again. Copy and paste as Miri misses the first chance as she nets a return. It’s an edgy next point from both players but it’s Teichmann who goes long once again and Miri has broken and will serve for the match.

6-1 6-5 A tight forehand error starts the next game and Teichmann bosses her way to 0-30. Yet the inconsistency continues from the Swiss as she lets Miri back in with another error. A hotly contested rally follows but Teichmann finds space for that forehand to hit into and has two break back points and an error into the net from Miri gives her opponent a lifeline. It was a nervous game from Miri and it’s back on serve she has to go again. Teichmann looking to get things under control again but lets Miri back in at 40-15 with her 5th double fault of the match and a wild error follows to put her into deuce giving Miri more chances. Super defending and from Miriam she’s going end to end and then unleashes a killer forehand down the line winner to set up another break point chance and yet another error from Teichmann gives the Romanian a second chance to serve this one out.

6-1 6-6 Teichmann is straight on to the Miri service game, drives and passing winner into the open court and then hits another winner to put Miri at 0-30. A nervous double fault follows and so do three break points. Miri saves the first, it’s a good wide serve for the second but a fault follows and we are into the tiebreak, it’s still not over!

Teichmann starting to lift it again and is quickly up 2-0. A close forehand error from Miri makes it 0-3. It’s all Teichmann as Miri tries everything, Teichmann draws her to the net, Miri tries the lob but Teichmann hits a smash winner and it’s soon 0-5. A fed up Ace from Miri gets her on board for 1-5 but it’s a mountain now. A double fault from Miri means 5 set points for the Swiss player. Teichmann keeps her opponent alive a little longer with forehand error but has plenty of set points to play with. A Miri error follows and both players will be wondering how Jill Teichmann won that set!!!

6-1 6-7 1-0 It’s a final set both players have had a break but we are back out and Miri is serving, she takes the first point with a bossing forehand winner up the line. The drop shot follows but perhaps not the time to do it as Teichmann is in the forecourt and gets there with time to spare able to hit the passing winner. Miri goes in front again with a Bulgaru backhand bullet up the line and another Teichmann error gives the safety of two game points. Huge serve caps off an excellent hold for Miri and it has to be said given everything that has happened in this match particularly the end of the first set, her attitude so far has been absolutely brilliant. My favourite player, and I am so proud of her right now.

6-1 6-7 1-2 Miri is on the attack once more and up 0-30 yet Teichmann charges to the net with a forehand drive winner to get her foot in the game. Unbelievable defending from Miri again, incredible speed and atheism getting to balls she has not business making and she wins another two break points as she pushes Teichmann into an error. Both are saved and we are at deuce again, Miri pushed far into the ad’ side of the court tries a drop shot but she’s not going to make it and Teichmann survives, it’s 1-1. Miri soon in trouble at 0-30 but hits a brilliant forehand winner changing the direction and wrong footing Teichmann, a gorgeous cross court backhand winner gets her next point, two beautiful winners from Miri for 30-30 but Teichhmann spies another forehand up the line to create a break point chance, a Miri error follows and Teichmann is in front.

6-1 7-6 1-4 A Teichmann double fault on the second point is a reminder that she is vulnerable on serve but Miri cannot capitalise as she nets a backhand. And now the Bulgaru errors are starting to creep in more as Teichmann takes a 3-1 lead, the crowd are trying their best but Miri really needs a strong service game now. A double fault is not the best way to start however. It’s battle of the Bulgaru forehand into the Teichmann backhand but Miri sails well long and she is shortly at 0-40. She saves the first with a forehand winner then Teichmann helps her out with a forehand error, one more to go. A strong rally follows, good length from Miri but she reaches for the drop shot again when it’s not really on and she’s out of the service game and 1-4 down with it all to do and it looks like the belief has just started to go.

6-1 6-7 1-6 Teichmann has now locked down and starts the next service game strongly. Miri pumps a little inside in forehand winner up the line to show she’s still invested but even a shank from Teichmann drops in and as she rolls to 40-15 she seems to be in control and she soon finds herself at 5-1. Miri still working as hard as possible but Teichmann has definitely shifted through the gears and has got herself to the net where she is hitting masterful volleys. Teichmann still has the odd error coming in and Miri finds herself at 30-30. Miri saves a match point to get herself to deuce. As she reaches game point then a fist pump, still believing, still being positive, the attituded still excellent. A big forehand follows but Teichmann gets it back and forces an error. Miri goes long again and it’s another match point for the Swiss. It’s an error off the frame from Miri and she has lost, a heart-breaking loss after being so close, full credit to Teichmann not at her best today but she was professional when she needed to be and deserved her win. So many positives for Miri who has struggled this year but the building blocks of recovery are there she has to keep applying herself like she did today and it will come.