Irina-Camelia Begu (born August 26, 1990) is a professional Romanian tennis player. On June 13, 2011, she reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 79. Her highest doubles ranking of 87 was reached on June 13, 2011. She is coached by Daniel Dolbea.
== Biography==
Irina Begu was born in Bucharest. Her mother, Steluţa, is working for the Government of Romania, while her father Paul is an electrician. She has an older brother, Andrei.
She started playing tennis when she was 3 years old, her aunt Aura Wagner coaching her and she is currently working with two coaches at a club in Bucharest. Her hobbies are going shopping and going to the cinema with friends. She likes Melbourne and Paris, but her favorite city is New York.
Irina's favorite surface is the clay, she admires Martina Hingis and Roger Federer and her goal is to become a top 10 player.
Professional career
Irin Begu won the first $100,000 ITF event of her career at the start of 2011 in February in
Calì, defeating in the final the world #82
Laura Pous Tió in straight sets.
In April of the same year, she entered as a qualifier in the 2011 Andalucia Tennis Experience and eventually passed the qualifications not losing a set and defeating three opponents. She defeated Alberta Brianti 6–4, 6–1 in the first round. She followed that up with a 7-5, 6–0 win over Estrella Cabeza Candela to advance to the quarterfinals.
She made to the semi final after she beat 34th-ranked Klára Zakopalová 6–3, 6-3. In the semifinal, she stunned world #14 and former world #2 Svetlana Kuznetsova 3-6, 7-6(3), 6–4 to reach her first WTA final, eventually losing to Victoria Azarenka in straight sets.
WTA Tour finals
Singles: 1 (0–1)
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{|class=wikitable style=font-size:97%
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!Legend: Starting in 2009
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|bgcolor=#FFFF99|Grand Slam (0–0)
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|bgcolor=#FF6666|WTA Championships (0–0)
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|bgcolor=#0099CC|Premier Mandatory (0–0)
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|bgcolor=#c0d077|Premier 5 (0–0)
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|bgcolor=#BF94E4|Premier (0–0)
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|bgcolor=#50C878|International (0–1)
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|valign=top width=33%|
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:97%
|-bgcolor=#EEEEEE
|'''Titles by Surface
|-
|Hard (0–0)
|-
|Grass (0–0)
|-
|Clay (0–1)
|-
|Carpet (0–0)
|}
|}
{|class="sortable wikitable" style=font-size:97%
|-bgcolor=#eeeeee
|width=80|'''Outcome
|width=20|'''No.
|width=120|'''Date
|width=280|'''Championship
|width=75|'''Surface
|width=200|'''Opponent in the final
|width=200|'''Score in the final
|-bgcolor=#50C878
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|1.
|10 April 2011
|
Marbella, Spain
|Clay
|
Victoria Azarenka
|6–3, 6–2
|}
ITF Circuit finals
Singles: 12 (7–5)
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;width:15%
|-bgcolor=#F88379
|$100,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#F7E98E
|$75,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#ADDFAD
|$50,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|$25,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|$10,000 tournaments
|}
{|class=wikitable
|-bgcolor=#eeeeee
|Outcome
|No.
|Date
|Tournament
|Surface
|Opponent in the final
|Score
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|1.
|10 September 2006
|
Bucharest 6, Romania
|Clay
|
Alexandra Cadanţu
|3–6, 6–2, 3–6
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|2.
|9 September 2007
|
Braşov, Romania
|Clay
|
Cristina Mitu
|7–6(2), 6–2
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|3.
|23 March 2008
|
Ain Sukhna, Egypt
|Carpet
|
Katarzyna Piter
|6–7(7), 4–6
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|4.
|7 September 2008
|
Braşov, Romania
|Clay
|
Diana Enache
|4–6, 6–4, 6–1
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|5.
|14 September 2008
|
Budapest, Hungary
|Clay
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|7–5, 6–1
|-bgcolor=#ADDFAD
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|6.
|11 October 2008
|
Jounieh, Lebanon
|Clay
|
Anastasia Yakimova
|6–2, 6–0
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|7.
|26 October 2008
|
Glasgow, Scotland
|Hard
|
Patricia Mayr
|2–6, 7–5, 7–6(1)
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|8.
|11 April 2010
|
Incheon, South Korea
|Hard
|
Lee Jin-A
|4–6, 2–6
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|9.
|15 August 2010
|
Versmold, Germany
|Clay
|
Magda Linette
|2–6, 5–7
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|10.
|19 September 2010
|
Podgorica, Montenegro
|Clay
|
Annalisa Bona
|6–1, 6–1
|-bgcolor=#F88379
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|11.
|13 February 2011
|
Cali, Colombia
|Clay
|
Laura Pous Tió
|6–3, 7–6(1)
|- bgcolor="#F88379"
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
| 12.
| 12 June 2011
|
Marseille, France
| Clay
|
Pauline Parmentier
| 3–6, 2–6
|}
Doubles: 22 (15–7)
{|class=wikitable style=font-size:85%;width:15%
|-bgcolor=#F88379
|$100,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#F7E98E
|$75,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#ADDFAD
|$50,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|$25,000 tournaments
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|$10,000 tournaments
|}
{|class="sortable wikitable" style=font-size:97%
|-
|Outcome
|No.
|Date
|Tournament
|Surface
|Partner
|Opponents in the final
|Score
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|1.
|30 June 2006
|
Galaţi, Romania
|Clay
|
Carmen-Raluca Ţibuleac
|
Bianca Bonifate Diana Gae
|6–2, 7–5
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|2.
|11 May 2007
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Simona Halep
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei Ioana Gaspar
|6–4, 6–2
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|3.
|31 August 2007
|
Hunedoara, Romania
|Clay
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|
Diana Enache Antonia-Xenia Tout
|6–3, 4–6, 4–6
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|4.
|9 September 2007
|
Braşov, Romania
|Clay
|
Diana Gae
|
Raluca Ciulei Camelia Hristea
|5–7, 4–6
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|5.
|15 June 2008
|
Craiova, Romania
|Clay
|
Alexandra Damaschin
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei Diana Enache
|3–6, 1–6
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|6.
|11 July 2008
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Ioana Gaspar
|
Mihaela Bunea Gabriela Niculescu
|4–6, 6–3, [10–3]
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|7.
|25 July 2008
|
Hunedoara, Romania
|Clay
|
Elora Dabija
|
Katarína Poljaková Zuzana Zlochová
|7–5, 6–2
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|8.
|29 August 2008
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|
Lyudmyla Kichenok Nadiya Kichenok
|6–2, 3–6, [10–6]
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|9.
|5 September 2008
|
Braşov, Romania
|Clay
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|
Bianca Hîncu Cristina Stancu
|6–2, 6–2
|-bgcolor=#f0f8ff
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|10.
|14 September 2008
|
Budapest, Hungary
|Clay
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|
Davinia Lobbinger Efrat Mishor
|6–2, 6–4
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|11.
|26 October 2008
|
Glasgow, Scotland
|Hard
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei
|
Stefania Boffa Amanda Elliott
|4–6, 6–7(3)
|-bgcolor=#F88379
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|12.
|9 May 2009
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Simona Halep
|
Julia Görges Sandra Klemenschits
|2–6, 6–1, [12–10]
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|13.
|10 April 2010
|
Incheon, South Korea
|Hard
|
Erika Sema
|
Misaki Doi Junri Namigata
|6–0, 7–6(8)
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|14.
|18 July 2010
|
Darmstadt, Germany
|Clay
|
Erika Sema
|
Vitalia Diatchenko Laura Siegemund
|6–4, 1–6, [4–10]
|-bgcolor=#F7E98E
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|15.
|30 July 2010
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Elena Bogdan
|
María Irigoyen Florencia Molinero
|6–1, 6–1
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|16.
|8 August 2010
|
Hechingen, Germany
|Clay
|
Anaïs Laurendon
|
Julia Schruff Erika Sema
|6–2, 4–6, [10–8]
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|17.
|18 September 2010
|
Podgorica, Montenegro
|Clay
|
Mihaela Buzărnescu
|
Valeria Solovieva Maryna Zanevska
|5–7, 7–5, [12–10]
|-bgcolor=lightblue
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|18.
|25 September 2010
|
Bucharest, Romania
|Clay
|
Elena Bogdan
|
Leticia Costas-Moreira Eva Fernandez-Brugues
|6–1, 6–3
|-bgcolor=#ADDFAD
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|19.
|8 October 2010
|
Madrid, Spain
|Clay
|
Elena Bogdan
|
Lara Arruabarrena-Vecino María-Teresa Torró-Flor
|4–6, 5–7
|-bgcolor=#F7E98E
|bgcolor=FFA07A|Runner-up
|20.
|27 November 2010
|
Toyota, Japan
|Carpet (I)
|
Mădălina Gojnea
|
Shuko Aoyama Rika Fujiwara
|6–1, 3–6, [9–11]
|-bgcolor=#F88379
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
|21.
|12 February 2011
|
Cali, Colombia
|Clay
|
Elena Bogdan
|
Ekaterina Ivanova Kathrin Wörle
|2–6, 7–6(6), [11–9]
|- bgcolor="#F88379"
|bgcolor=98FB98|Winner
| 22.
| 11 June 2011
|
Marseille, France
| Clay
|
Nina Bratchikova
|
Laura-Ioana Andrei Mădălina Gojnea
| 6–2, 6–2
|}
References
External links
Category:1990 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Bucharest
Category:Romanian tennis players