Giulia Safina Popa

Giulia Safina Popa

Country (sports)	Romania
Born	(2009-11-09) 9 November 2009 (age 15) Oradea, Romania
Plays	Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach	Lucian Popa
Prize money	$6,542
Singles
Career record	20–12
Highest ranking	No. 867 (8 September 2025)
Current ranking	No. 867 (8 September 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open  Junior	2R (2025)
Wimbledon  Junior	1R (2025)
Doubles
Career record	1–5
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open  Junior	1R (2025)
Wimbledon  Junior	1R (2025)
Last updated on: 8 September 2025.

Giulia Safina Popa (born 9 November 2009) is a Romanian tennis player. She has a career-high ITF junior combined ranking of No. 35, achieved on 10 February 2025.

Early life

Popa was born in Oradea. She grew up in a tennis family, having been named after Dinara Safina, and began playing the sport at the age of six. ^[1] She is coached by her father, Lucian Popa, and is registered at CSM Oradea. ^{[2] [3]}

Junior career

In January 2023, Popa finished runner-up at the Petits As. ^{[2] [4]} Later that year, she won silver medals in both singles and doubles at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival. ^{[5] [6]}

In September 2024, she and Maia Ilinca Burcescu were runners-up in doubles at the U16 European Junior Championships. ^[7] Later that year, she represented Romania at the Junior Billie Jean King Cup, where she reached the finals with Burcescu and Ioana-Ștefania Boian. ^[8]

In January 2025, she won the J300 Mundial Juvenil de Tenis in Salinas, defeating Kali Šupová in the final. ^[9]

Professional career

In July 2025, Popa made her WTA Tour debut after qualifying for the main draw of the Iași Open. ^[10]

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

Legend W15 tournaments (0–1)

Finals by surface Clay (0–1)

Result	W–L	Date	Tournament	Tier	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	0–1	Sep 2025	ITF Kuršumlijska Banja, Serbia	W15	Clay	Natalija Senić	1–6, 1–6

References

1. Tăcină, Alexandru (11 July 2023). "Povestea fascinantă din spatele titlului european la tenis cucerit de junioarele României!". ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
2. Tăcină, Alexandru (2 February 2023). "Giulia Popa, puștoaica minune a tenisului românesc, e pe cont propriu". ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
3. Tăcină, Alexandru (8 November 2022). "Giulia Popa, noua prințesă a tenisului: a câștigat turneul Super Category de la Stockholm!". ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
4. Marcinkowski, Valentin (29 January 2023). "Petits As de Tarbes: un duel Roumanie - Russie chez les filles en finale entre Popa et Pushkareva". La Nouvelle République des Pyrénées (in French). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
5. Petrescu, Andrei (30 July 2023). "A aterizat delegația României de la FOTE 2023 » Primire superbă la aeroport". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
6. Petrescu, Andrei (30 July 2023). "Ana Maria Popescu, după triumful României la FOTE 2023: "Va rămâne în istorie! Sportul românesc începe să respire"". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
7. Marinescu, David (30 September 2024). "Medalii de aur şi argint pentru România la Campionatele Europene Under-16". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
8. Istrate, David (15 November 2024). "România este în finala pentru juniori atât în Cupa Davis, cât și în Cupa Billie Jean King". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
9. Nazare, Daniel (3 February 2025). "Se naște o nouă Simona Halep? Cine este românca de 15 ani care s-a impus într-un turneu puternic de juniori în Ecuador". ProSport (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.
10. Fleşeru, Roxana; Paul, Luminița (14 July 2025). "Irina Begu, prima jucătoare din România calificată în turul secund la UniCredit Iași Open » Miriam Bulgaru a fost învinsă după ce a câștigat setul întâi cu 6-1". Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). Retrieved 14 July 2025.

External links

• Giulia Safina Popa at the Women's Tennis Association
• Giulia Safina Popa at the International Tennis Federation
• Giulia Safina Popa at ESPN.com