Romanian tennis player Ana Bogdan has been voted the winner of the Heart Award for her contribution to the Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, according to the competition’s Instagram page.

Ana Bogdan won two of the three matches she played in April’s meeting with Ukraine in Romania’s comeback from 0-2 to 3-2. Ana scored an ”epic” victory over Elina Svitolina, who signalled the comeback, and paired with Jaqueline Cristian in the doubles final, bringing victory over sisters Liudmila and Nadia Kicenok and qualifying Romania for the first time for the final tournament of the competition.

Romania’s opponents in the World Group were Japanese Nao Hibino, British Emma Raducanu and German Laura Siegemund.

Denmark’s Clara Tauson won the ‘Heart Award’ for Europe/Africa, Group I, Julia Riera (Argentina) for the Americas, Group I, and China’s Xinyu Wang for Asia/Oceania, Group I, following social media votes.

The prize winners receive a donation from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to give to a charitable cause of their choice, 3,000 USD for the Qualifiers winner, 2,000 USD for the Group I winners

Romania’s women’s tennis team will face Japan in round of 16 of the Billie Jean King Cup. The final tournament of the competition will take place on November 12-20 in Seville.

If they get past Japan (November 12-14 ), Romania will face Italy in the quarter-finals (November 15-17), who will not play in the first round.

Romania qualified for the Billie Jean King Cup finals for the first time after defeating Ukraine 3-2 on 14 April in Fernandina Beach, Florida. Japan beat Kazakhstan 3-1 the same weekend.

AGERPRES