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United in Sport. Welcome to AO Season

P.E Nation On Court. Welcome to AO Season

 

 
United in Sport. Welcome to AO Season
 
Tennis always starts with Love. Welcome to Australian Open season. Whether you play for leisure or at Rod Laver Arena, P.E Nation performancewear is passionately designed for comfort and confidence on and off the court.
 
A long time friend of P.E Nation, Ana Bogdan is a Romanian professional tennis player. Since her tour debut in 2007, Ana has honed her on-court skills and technique to grow from strength to strength, and was listed No. 46 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in October 2022. We spoke to Ana about her current training routine, her plans for 2023, her passion for the Australian Open, her personal style and love for wearing P.E Nation both on and off the court.
 
 
 
 
 
How early did you find tennis? Do you remember a moment when you felt tennis is the sport for you?
I was 4 years old when I held a racket for the first time. I actually started playing with the left hand. Funnily enough, at that age I didn’t play much, as I was focusing more on skiing. I wanted to become a professional skier and I started skiing when I was 2 years old.
 
I went back to tennis at the age of 9 - there wasn't much snow in that year and not much opportunity to train on the mountains. I remember I loved hitting each ball as hard as I could. I loved serving harder with the second serve than the first one.
 
How often do you train, and what does an average day look like for you?
I usually train six days per week and have one day off. But it depends a lot on the schedule and on the tournaments I play. I always have to adapt it, and always start my day with my meditation and ritual; I like to have my “me-time” in the morning and start the day with a good vibe. After that, I generally play once or twice a day, depending on the intensity of the practice. I'll do physical training after tennis.
 
Having said all this, I also focus on recovery a lot. I think it is a very, very important part of an athlete’s life . You need to take care of your body so you can perform every day at a high level.
 
Can you share a great tennis memory or achievement that sticks out in your mind for you?
So many big moments come to my mind right now. The semifinal at the Australian Open juniors was a very special moment in my career as a young athlete. My best ranking was no.2 in the world in juniors.
 
And then I have the tournament I won in Romania last year, in Iasi; my first WTA final last year in Warsaw; playing two consecutive WTA semifinals last year in September. And playing Ashleigh Barty in Melbourne two years ago - I remember it was such a privilege for me to play her here and I have a huge respect for her and what she has achieved throughout her career. I remember playing the Billie Jean King Cup matches for my country, too - that's something I could never compare with any other competition because it always gives me goosebumps no matter if I'm out there playing or cheering for my team. I love playing in that atmosphere!  
 
Outside of competitions, what are the rewards tennis brings into your life?
Lately, I’ve been trying to find the balance between tournaments and being home with my family and friends. Being on tour and playing almost every week in different places, countries and continents is not easy to do. But this sport is what I love doing and what defines me, so I'm very grateful I get to play it at this level.
 
You get to travel so much and see so many countries, cultures, get in touch with so many people around the world and I am a person who loves to learn new things, to visit new places, eat different food. And it’s not only that. You also have the chance to be among the best athletes in the world, to compete against them, to watch them performing on the court, watch them training and I really like to see all that and keep learning from them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Have you ever had to overcome injury, and what helped you get through it?
Yes, I've had a lot of injuries throughout my career and some of them pretty bad. There have been many times I've had to stop and lost time because of them. In the past 3-4 years, I've been learning that the injuries were often a reflection of my emotional state of mind, so I've been working more on my mental strength and mental health, to overcome my fears, to embrace my weaknesses, to work both physically and mentally to transform them into my strengths, to accept my flaws and work on becoming a kinder and better person.
 
I've learned that injuries and your physical health can be very much related to your past lives, to your childhood, to the people you let enter into your life. It’s so much more than what we see; so much more about what we don't see. It’s about the energy that we have and we spread out there in the universe. We are energy, actually, and I think we are definitely part of the universe, but also there is an entire universe inside of us.
 
Now, whenever I feel something is not going well in my life or my career , I ask for guidance. If I have to go through a challenge, I try to reflect on what I needed to learn from it, and I take my time to observe the lessons that need to come through. I take time to heal, to find my way, to love life, to love tennis - both with the wins and the defeats. Because in this sport we lose more than we win, but I think that’s what makes you stronger in the end. That’s what makes the victory taste sweeter in the end.
 
What does the AO mean to you, and what do you enjoy about competing there?
The Australian Open means energy!! The Aussie vibes. I LOVE the energy that is here on and off the court. I LOVE the fans, their crazy support. I LOVE the way this tournament is organised. I LOVE the people who work here and provide us everything we need to perform at the highest level - there are so many people working or volunteering for this tournament, for us in the end. They devote so much time and care, and they do it to ensure the athletes have everything they need. I am so grateful for everything this tournament means. The Aussie vibes are unlike anything else in the world! I have loved this tournament ever since I came here for the first time as a junior, and I'll keep loving it forever!
 
 
 
 
 
 
How important is comfort and confidence on the court, and how does P.E Nation play into that?
Being able to wear P.E Nation on the court gives me strength, gives me power, gives me confidence. I love the unique style they have, the quality, and I love the colours and the vibe they give me whenever I pick something to wear. When I wear P.E Nation - on or off the court - I feel like myself.
 
What does 2023 have planned for you, and what are you looking forward to most?
I look forward to playing tennis freely, to playing with joy and love for this sport. To feel free to create on the court, to have my mind free of any worry or any thought that doesn’t bring any positive vibe. I want to see myself playing my best tennis on the big stages, the big courts, in front of the big crowds - the feeling you have when you play in front of so many people is indescribable. I really want to enjoy doing what I love, to be better and better every day, to work hard but with passion, to take care of my body so I am pain free and injury free, and to go achieve my dreams!
 
 
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