Internet-breaking Coco Gauff point, idol Elena Rybakina & more: Anca Todoni opens up in Exclusive at Australian Open 2025

Romanian tennis sensation Anca Todoni sat with Sportskeeda at the 2025 Australian Open on Sunday, January 12, and opened up on her internet-breaking point against Coco Gauff at Wimbledon last year. Todoni also revealed that she idolizes Elena Rybakina.

It wasn't a very happy day for Todoni as she came up short against No. 5 seed Zheng Qinwen in the first round. She started strong against the Chinese, taking the first set to a tiebreaker after neutralizing a break of serve.

Zheng, however, edged out in the tiebreaker and rolled through the second set as Todoni, the World No. 111, struggled with her back, notably opting for a medical timeout midway. She ended up losing the match 7-6(3), 6-1 in an hour and 52 minutes.

Following the tough result, Todoni, who defeated Victoria Jimenez Kasinteva, Leyre Romero Gormaz, and Varvara Lepchenko in the qualifiers, joined Sportskeeda at Melbourne Park's interview terrace for an exclusive conversation.

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Anca Todoni Exclusive

Anca Todoni in action at the 2025 Australian Open (Getty)

Sportskeeda: Tough match, had a back issue?

Anca Todoni: It was a tough match but I don’t know my back issues didn’t intervene in some kind of way. I just went there to play my game so yeah, I was fine. I just needed a small break to release a bit of that pain, which helped.

Sportskeeda: The first set was tight, it could have gone either way. Do you think, in these situations, if you take a lead and then you have an injury, would you play through the pain?

Anca Todoni: No, I never try to play with pain because it’s uncomfortable, you cannot focus on your game even if I win or the score goes in my way. I try to solve the problem or the issue.

Sportskeeda: Not the ideal result but you would be proud, three wins in the Australian Open qualifiers, so how's your motivation for the next Grand Slam?

Anca Todoni: Yeah, I’m super happy and proud of myself for all the work I’ve put, also in Brisbane and here so yeah, going with confidence for the rest of the season. I cannot wait for the next Grand Slam to be honest.

Sportskeeda: You played Coco Gauff at Wimbledon last year, another Top 10 player today, do you prepare differently for them?

Anca Todoni: Honestly, it’s just tennis in the end whoever we play, but they’re Top 10 for a reason. They’re doing the things, they’re highest, they can maintain the level every second and every game. I think that’s the difference between the Top 10 players and maybe the rest. We don’t prepare differently, we just try to watch and see their tennis pattern so yeah, in the end it’s just normal tennis.

Sportskeeda: How crazy was that point against Gauff, did it touch the roof?

Anca Todoni: I replayed that point so many times… it was all over the internet, it was crazy. I didn’t know how to react, it was unusual for me but no, the ball didn’t touch the roof. It was such a lucky shot, it went through the bars and just fell in the court.

Sportskeeda: How do you see Romanian tennis shaping up?

Anca Todoni: In women, we’re doing super great, we are five on main draw [herself, Sorana Cirstea, Irina-Camelia Begu, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, and Jaqueline Cristian] I guess… that’s actually so good. Yeah, everyone is having their path, we are sometimes training together, also we’re very close for the Fed Cup… it’s going great.

Sportskeeda: Who do you look up to?

Anca Todoni: I’ve been following Elena Rybakina for a while, idol for me. I really like her game. Honestly, I would love to play her one day.

Sportskeeda: What does success mean to you? What are your goals?

Anca Todoni: I’m not like a superstitious person just to put myself like I wanna be No. 1 because it just puts another pressure on me so I’m just trying to maintain my game become better and better day by day, just follow my pattern, just do as great as I can.