Reis Tennis Center pro wins at world championship

Competition looks a little different now from when she played on the clay of Roland Garros and the grass of Wimbledon, but after 38 years of playing tennis, Anda Perianu can still win.

“We call it ‘winning ugly’ – finding a way,” she said.

Perianu, manager of the Reis Tennis Center, found the way at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Team Championship, on March 14 in Manavgat, Turkey. Representing the U.S. in the 40s age bracket, her four-woman team bested Switzerland, Ireland, Argentina and three-time defending champion Germany.

Anda Perianu and her teammates Mariko Fritz Krockow, Kaysie Smashey and Yulia Bolotova won gold in the 40s age bracket at the International Tennis Federation World Team Championship, on March 14 in Manavgat, Turkey.

This victory represented a bit of redemption, Perianu said.

“I played in this tournament in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024,” she said. “I have three silver medals from the previous tournaments, and I’ve lost them all to Germany in the finals, so this was a long time coming.”

Athletes on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour are former college and professional tennis players who still want to compete after their tennis careers are over.

“We know we can’t compare to our glory days and say, ‘Oh, I used to be able to hit that shot. I used to be able to do this,’” she said. “We’re in our 40s now, so it’s a little different, having regular lives and not competing on a regular basis.”

Perianu started playing tennis at age 7 in her native Romania. She came to the U.S. to play tennis on scholarship at the University of Oklahoma, where she achieved All-America status. She joined the Women’s Tennis Association tour, competing in Grand Slam events including the French Open and Wimbledon, and rising to 120th in the world rankings.

Perianu, who joined Cornell in September 2012 as tennis director, manages memberships, clinics and programs at the tennis center. She teaches a ladies’ clinic on Fridays.

“Some of the ladies are a true inspiration,” she said. “When they come in to play, they give it their all. They try really hard. It’s a pleasure to work with them. Even though they’re not going to compete at a high level, they still want to get better.”

Patti McClary, a Cornell retiree, has been attending Perianu’s clinic for years.

“She helps keep us motivated,” McClary said. “She’s very perceptive. She’ll notice little things that you can change to improve.”

While she mostly plays tennis as a hobby, McClary has competed in U.S. Tennis Association competitions. When her team made it to the national tournament in the 65-and-over age category a few years ago, Perianu helped them prepare.

“We were really fortunate to have her as a resource right here at Cornell,” McClary said.

Perianu said every year she resolves to play more, but sometimes the rest of life gets in the way.

“I still love to compete,” she said. “My kids play tennis. My husband (Silviu Tanasoiu) is the head men’s coach at Cornell, so we talk about tennis all the time. It’s always going to be part of my life.”

She plans to enter a few more national tournaments than usual in the next year to help her return to the ITF world championships.

“I would like to defend that title next year,” she said. “It felt really good winning it.”

Click here to read article