Raluca Olaru


Ioana Raluca Olaru is a professional tennis player from Romania. The winner of 11 singles and 15 doubles ITF titles, Olaru reached one WTA Tour singles final, at the 2009 Gastein Ladies, losing to Andrea Petkovic 2–6, 3–6. She also has won nine WTA doubles titles.
Olaru was a successful junior player. She was the runner–up in both junior singles and doubles at the 2005 French Open, and captured the 2006 US Open doubles title along with Mihaela Buzărnescu. Her best professional Grand Slam result so far has been the third round of the 2007 French Open, when she defeated the 30th seed Julia Vakulenko in straight sets and lost to eventual runner–up, the seventh seed Ana Ivanovic. Olaru reached her highest singles ranking, world No. 53, on 27 July 2009, and her highest doubles ranking, No. 32, on 28 August 2017.

Personal life

Ioana Raluca Olaru currently resides in her hometown Bucharest. Her parents, Adrian and Doina, run a convenience store together. Her sister Cristina is 16 years older than Olaru, and lives in London. Olaru began playing tennis aged seven, and cites Kim Clijsters, Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer as her role models. She graduated from school in 2007, and is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Tennis career

Raluca started her 2017 season at Shenzhen Open where she reached the final with Olga Savchuk, but they lost 1–6, 5–7 to Peng Shuai and Andrea Hlaváčková.
Next week, Olaru with Olga Savchuk won the doubles title at the Hobart International, it was her sixth WTA doubles title.

Playing style

Olaru considers being a fighter as her biggest asset. She cites clay as her favourite surface and backhand down the line as favourite shot, but she can play well on all surfaces and she likes mixing her game with drop shots. Olaru is currently coached by Adrian Gavrila, Adrian Cruciat and Artemon Apostu Efremov.

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Tournament20072008200920102011201220132014SRW–L
Australian OpenA1RQ21RQ2AQ1A0 / 20–2
French Open3R1R1R1RQ1AQ1A0 / 42–4
WimbledonA1R2R2RQ1AQ1A0 / 32–3
US Open2R2R1RQ1AAAA0 / 32–3
Win–Loss3–21–41–41–20–00–00–00–00 / 126–12

WTA career finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Jul 2009Gastein Ladies, AustriaInternationalClay Andrea Petkovic2–6, 3–6

Doubles: 18 (9 titles, 9 runner-ups)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Jul 2008Budapest Grand Prix,
Hungary		Tier IIIClay Vanessa Henke Alizé Cornet
Janette Husárová		7–6, 1–6,
Win1–1Oct 2008Tashkent Open,
Uzbekistan		Tier IVHard Olga Savchuk Nina Bratchikova
Kathrin Wörle		5–7, 7–5,
Win2–1Feb 2011Mexican Open,
Mexico		InternationalHard Mariya Koryttseva Arantxa Parra Santonja
Lourdes Domínguez Lino		5–7, 7–5,
Loss2–2Apr 2013Katowice Open,
Poland		InternationalClay Valeria Solovyeva Lara Arruabarrena
Lourdes Domínguez Lino		4–6, 5–7
Win3–2Jun 2013Nuremberg Cup,
Germany		InternationalClay Valeria Solovyeva Anna-Lena Grönefeld
Květa Peschke		2–6, 7–6,
Loss3–3May 2014Nuremberg Cup,
Germany		InternationalClay Shahar Pe'er Michaëlla Krajicek
Karolína Plíšková		0–6, 6–4,
Loss3–4Jul 2014Baku Cup,
Azerbaijan		InternationalHard Shahar Pe'er Alexandra Panova
Heather Watson		2–6, 6–7
Win4–4Oct 2014Linz Open,
Austria		InternationalHard Anna Tatishvili Annika Beck
Caroline Garcia		6–2, 6–1
Loss4–5May 2015Nuremberg Cup,
Germany		InternationalClay Lara Arruabarrena Chan Hao-ching
Anabel Medina Garrigues		4–6, 6–7
Loss4–6Apr 2016Morocco Open,
Morocco		InternationalClay Tatjana Maria Xenia Knoll
Aleksandra Krunić		3–6, 0–6
Win5–6Oct 2016Tashkent Open,
Uzbekistan 		InternationalHard İpek Soylu Demi Schuurs
Renata Voráčová		7–5, 6–3
Loss5–7Jan 2017Shenzhen Open,
China		InternationalHard Olga Savchuk Andrea Hlaváčková
Peng Shuai		1–6, 5–7
Win6–7Jan 2017Hobart International,
Australia		InternationalHard Olga Savchuk Gabriela Dabrowski
Yang Zhaoxuan		0–6, 6–4,
Win7–7Jul 2017Bucharest Open,
Romania		InternationalClay Irina-Camelia Begu Elise Mertens
Demi Schuurs		6–3, 6–3
Win8–7May 2018Morocco Open,
Morocco		InternationalClay Anna Blinkova Georgina García Pérez
Fanny Stollár		6–4, 6–4
Win9–7May 2018Internationaux de Strasbourg,
France		InternationalClay Mihaela Buzărnescu Nadiia Kichenok
Anastasia Rodionova		7–5, 7–5
Loss9–8Sep 2018Tashkent Open,
Uzbekistan		InternationalHard Irina-Camelia Begu Olga Danilović
Tamara Zidanšek		5–7, 3–6
Loss9–9Oct 2018Kremlin Cup,
Russia		PremierHard Darija Jurak Alexandra Panova
Laura Siegemund		2–6, 6–7

WTA 125K series finals

Doubles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ITF finals

Singles: 18 (11 titles, 7 runner–ups)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss0–1Aug 2004ITF Iași, Romania10,000Clay Monica Niculescu6–7, 0–6
Win1–1Apr 2005ITF Herceg Novi, Serbia10,000Clay Miljana Adanko7–5, 7–6
Win2–1Jul 2005ITF Bucharest, Romania10,000Clay Anna Bastrikova6–3, 6–2
Win3–1Aug 2005ITF Bucharest, Romania10,000Clay Mădălina Gojnea7–6, 7–5
Win4–1May 2006ITF Bucharest, Romania10,000Clay Sorana Cîrstea1–6, 6–4, 6–1
Win5–1May 2006ITF Rabat, Morocco10,000Clay Samia Medjahdi6–2, 2–6, 7–5
Loss5–2Jul 2006ITF Mont-de-Marsan, France25,000Clay Nina Bratchikova4–6, 6–4, 0–6
Win6–2Nov 2006ITF Toronto, Canada25,000Hard Carly Gullickson6–3, 6–1
Win7–2Apr 2007ITF Torrent, Spain50,000Clay Andrea Petkovic6–4, 5–7, 6–4
Loss7–3Apr 2007ITF Catania, Italy25,000Clay Darya Kustova3–6, 6–2, 3–6
Win8–3Jul 2008ITF Contrexéville, France50,000Clay Stéphanie Foretz Gacon6–4, 6–2
Win9–3Jun 2009ITF Marseille, France100,000Clay Maša Zec Peškirič6–7, 7–5, 6–4
Win10–3Jul 2011ITF Bad Saulgau, Germany25,000Clay Tatjana Maria6–3, 3–6, 7–5
Loss10–4Apr 2012ITF Pomezia, Italy10,000Clay Aliaksandra Sasnovich6–0, 1–6, 1–6
Loss10–5Oct 2012ITF Brasília, Brazil25,000Clay Timea Bacsinszky5–7, 2–6
Loss10–6Nov 2012ITF Asunción, Paraguay25,000Clay Verónica Cepede Royg7–5, 6–7, 2–6
Loss10–7Jan 2013ITF Eilat, İsrael10,000Hard Alla Kudryavtseva7–6, 3–6, 2–6
Win11–7Mar 2013ITF Antalya, Turkey10,000Clay Jovana Jakšić6–3, 7–5

Doubles: 31 (15 titles, 16 runner–ups)

ResultW–LDateTournamentTierSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss0–1Jun 2004ITF Brașov,
Romania		10,000Clay Lenore Lăzăroiu Corina Corduneanu
Alexandra Iacob		4–6, 5–7
Loss0–2Aug 2004ITF Timișoara,
Romania		10,000Clay Lenore Lăzăroiu Sorana Cîrstea
Gabriela Niculescu		1–6, 6–2, 2–6
Win1–2Sep 2004ITF Cluj-Napoca,
Romania		10,000Clay Corina Corduneanu Veronika Raimrová
Anamaria Sere		4–6, 6–0, 6–4
Win2–2Apr 2005ITF Herceg Novi,
Serbia		10,000Clay Antonia Xenia Tout Aleksandra Lukič
Patricia Vollmeier		6–4, 4–1 ret.
Win3–2July 2005ITF Arad,
Romania		10,000Clay Corina Corduneanu Anna Bastrikova
Vasilisa Davydova		6–1, 6–4
Win4–2Aug 2005ITF Bucharest,
Romania		10,000Clay Corina Corduneanu Bianca Ioana Bonifate
Sorana Cîrstea		6–1, 6–1
Win5–2Apr 2006ITF Makarska,
Croatia		10,000Clay Antonia Xenia Tout Johanna Larsson
Nadja Roma		6–4, 7–5
Loss5–3May 2006ITF Bucharest,
Romania		10,000Clay Simona Matei Sorana Cîrstea
Gabriela Niculescu		4–6, 6–0, 6–7
Loss5–4May 2006ITF Rabat,
Morocco		10,000Clay María Fernanda Álvarez Terán Bahia Mouhtassine
Émilie Bacquet		w/o
Win6–4July 2006ITF Mont-de-Marsan,
France		25,000Clay Margalita Chakhnashvili Akgul Amanmuradova
Nina Bratchikova		7–5, 1–6, 6–1
Loss6–5Aug 2006ITF Hechingen,
Germany		25,000Clay Kristina Antoniychuk Eva Fislová
Stanislava Hrozenská		3–6, 7–6, 3–6
Loss6–6Nov 2006ITF Toronto,
Canada		25,000Hard Heidi El Tabakh Angelika Bachmann
Hana Šromová		4–6, 1–6
Win7–6Sep 2010ITF Biella,
Italy		100,000Clay Mariya Koryttseva Andreja Klepač
Aurélie Védy		7–5, 6–4
Loss7–7Sep 2010ITF Saint Malo,
France		100,000Clay Mariya Koryttseva Petra Cetkovská
Lucie Hradecká		4–6, 2–6
Loss7–8Sep 2011Allianz Cup,
Bulgaria		100,000Clay Alexandra Cadanțu Nina Bratchikova
Darija Jurak		4–6, 5–7
Win8–8Jan 2012ITF Innisbrook,
United States		25,000Clay Darya Kustova Gioia Barbieri
Nadejda Guskova		6–3, 6–1
Loss8–9Feb 2012Copa Bionaire,
Colombia		100,000Clay Alexandra Cadanțu Karin Knapp
Mandy Minella		4–6, 3–6
Win9–9Apr 2012ITF Civitavecchia,
Italy		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan Claudia Giovine
Marina Shamayko		6–3, 7–5
Win10–9Apr 2012ITF Tunis,
Tunisia		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan Inés Ferrer Suárez
Richèl Hogenkamp		6–4, 6–3
Loss10–10May 2012ITF Casablanca,
Morocco		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan Olga Savchuk
Renata Voráčová		1–6, 4–6
Loss10–11Jul 2012BCR Open Romania Ladies,
Romania		100,000Clay Elena Bogdan Irina-Camelia Begu
Alizé Cornet		2–6, 0–6
Win11–11Aug 2012ITF Mamaia,
Romania		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan Danka Kovinić
Tadeja Majerič		7–6, 6–3
Loss11–12Sep 2012ITF Sofia,
Bulgaria		25,000Clay Marina Melnikova Katarzyna Piter
Barbara Sobaszkiewicz		5–7, 1–6
Win12–12Oct 2012ITF Brasília,
Brazil		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan Timea Bacsinszky
Julia Cohen		6–3, 3–6,
Win13–12Nov 2012ITF Buenos Aires,
Argentina		25,000Clay Elena Bogdan María Fernanda Álvarez Terán
Maria Fernanda Alves		1–6, 6–2,
Win14–12Jan 2013ITF Eilat,
Israel		10,000Hard Alla Kudryavtseva Ilona Kremen
Pemra Özgen		6–3, 6–3
Loss14–13Nov 2013ITF Barnstaple,
Great Britain		75,000Hard Tamira Paszek Naomi Broady
Kristýna Plíšková		3–6, 6–3,
Win15–13Jun 2015ITF Ilkley,
Great Britain		50,000Grass Xu Yifan An-Sophie Mestach
Demi Schuurs		6–3, 6–4
Loss15–14Aug 2015Vancouver Open,
Canada		100,000Hard Anna Tatishvili Johanna Konta
Maria Sanchez		6–7, 4–6
Loss15–15Sep 2016ITF St. Petersburg,
Russia		100,000Hard Alena Tarasova Maria Marfutina
Anna Morgina		2–6, 3–6
Loss15–16May 2017ITF Cagnes-sur-Mer,
France		100,000Clay Renata Voráčová Chang Kai-chen
Hsieh Su-wei		5–7, 1–6

Head-to-head record against other players

*as of 29 June 2015