The quiet determination of Filip Cristian Jianu

At 23, Filip Cristian Jianu is quietly making a name for himself on the ATP Challenger Tour. Born in Bucharest, the 1.80-meter right-hander has already collected 13 ITF World Tennis Tour titles, five of them last year, and climbed to a career-high ranking of No. 210 in June 2025. Once ranked as high as World No. 5 in juniors and a semi-finalist at the 2019 Boys’ Australian Open, Jianu is now determined to translate his performance into consistent results on the professional stage.

From Juniors to the Grind of the Pro Circuit

Jianu’s game is most at home on clay, though not exclusively. “I actually like faster clay courts and slower hard courts,” he says with a smile, summing up a style that relies on precision, timing and smart point construction.

But the leap from junior success to the grind of the Pro Circuit has been anything but straightforward. “One of the most challenging parts is getting into the big tournaments,” he explains. “For a player like me, coming from Romania, we don’t have that many opportunities to play in big tournaments. That’s easier for players from Italy, France or Spain, where so many Challengers and ATP events take place.

"I had to start from 15K tournaments on the ITF World Tennis Tour, which is not easy. You have to grind every week in order to gain some points. On the other hand, when you have a wild card into a main draw of a bigger tournament, you will earn the same number of points from a single match. So, it takes a bit more time to rise up the rankings. You cannot skip stages.”

Finding Rhythm and Joy Again

That grinding work has given him a clear perspective on the gap between levels. “The difference between ITF events and ATP Challengers is the ball speed,” he says. “At Challengers the guys try to take the balls early and try to be offensive. On the ITF World Tennis Tour, it is more of a physical battle. There are less free points, and the opponent is waiting for your mistake. It is a different kind of tennis. The ball change is also different at nine and 11 games compared to seven and nine. You can feel it. The game at Challengers is faster and you need to be quicker and more aggressive if you want to win.”

The transition has not only been physical but also mental. “I had a bit of a rough period mentally,” Jianu admits.

I was struggling outside the court and wanted to play more matches. I wanted to find my rhythm and the joy for tennis again.

Financial Realities and the Value of Home Tournaments

He has found stability by remaining close to home in Romania. “I have been based in Bucharest for a while,” he says. “I prefer to be at home between tournaments. I have a good group of coaches and training partners. We are pushing each other every day. It is a solid base for me.”

Still, the financial burden of life on tour remains a constant concern. “That’s a main issue,” Jianu says candidly. “We don’t get any support and it’s tough for us to find any sponsors.

We have to do it by ourselves. It’s not easy as you always have to look at the price and need to make some sacrifices to be able to travel. You really need to pay attention at every expense.

That’s why the recent growth of tournaments in his home country has been so important. “They started in the last couple of years,” he says. “This is very important for us Romanian players. We can play at home, saving money. Then, we have the support from the home crowd.

"We also have the ATP Tournament in Bucharest. I was awarded a wild card and won my opening round match against Nishesh Basavareddy, which gave me valuable ranking points. That helped me a lot. If they were more tournaments like those, we would see many more players from Romania coming up.”

Career Highlights and Goals

The past year has already delivered important milestones. “I played my first Grand Slam in Australia,” he reflects.

“In Roland Garros I managed win my first match and reached the third round of the qualification, which was a very nice experience for me. And winning the ATP match at home was very enjoyable as well as competing in Davis Cup. My year could have been better, but there were a lot of highlights.”

Off the court, Jianu keeps things simple. During tournaments, he likes to unwind with TV series or card games. “During a tournament week I watch some TV series or play Romme,” he says.

“Right now, I am watching the Vampire Diaries, which is an old school show, but I like to pick a series, which you can watch for many hours. When I am at home, I enjoy having a nice dinner and going for a walk. I don’t really follow any other sports closely.”

As for the future, his goal is clear: “I want to break the Top 200 by the end of the year.”

For a player who has had to climb step by step, often without the resources enjoyed by his rivals, it is a realistic target and another reminder of the quiet determination that defines Filip Cristian Jianu’s career.