Giusca’s Path to Becoming a Bulldog
April 14, 2023 | Men's Tennis
ATHENS, Ga. – Born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, Teodor Giusca's goals stretch further than the 5,444 miles spanning between Athens and his family's home.
His eyes are set on the matches before him, hopeful that the final destination of his collegiate journey will be the winners' podium at the 2023 tennis national championship—and he is determined to reach this incredible milestone.
Fueled by a passion for the sport that has been instilled in him since childhood, playing tennis at the collegiate level was not merely a choice–it was a necessity.
"I've always known I wanted to play college tennis," Giusca explains, "My dad thought it was a good pathway, just because of how many resources there are in college tennis."
Looking forward to an athletic environment that promised incredible coaching and a supportive community of teammates the question was not if he would continue to play in college, but rather where.
A promising player in Romania, Giusca's impressive tennis performance attracted the eyes of numerous universities in the United States by the time he was ready to enroll. Highly sought after by Clemson University, Giusca elected to begin his collegiate career with the Tigers.
From his first moments in South Carolina, Giusca began to establish himself as a pivotal player on Clemon's roster. With the versatility to draw wins in both singles and doubles matches, his talent allowed him to succeed in both competitions. With each season that passed, his hunger and drive only continued to grow.
By his senior season, Giusca was a force to be reckoned with on and off the courts with 64 wins in singles and 52 in doubles, leading Clemson on courts one and two while collecting academic accolades left and right.
Both his record and his fans saw nothing but success, but Giusca was desperate for change.
Leaving the comfort zone is never easy, and transferring after four years of impressive play was no exception. But, for Giusca, it wasn't about the numbers alone. Ready to go on to the next chapter and explore new opportunities, he had only one criteria when weighing his options.
In eager pursuit of a new challenge and opportunity for growth, the decision to transfer propelled Giusca in a leap of faith.
Giusca was ready for a shot at a national championship.
Stepping foot in Athens in fall of 2022 was a surreal experience for Giusca. No stranger to the rich traditions and culture of the Classic City and its men's tennis program, his adoption of the Bulldog spirit was instantaneous.
Giusca can't help but beam with pride when discussing the community that surrounds his school.
"Georgia has the best fans in the world," Giusca affirms with a smile.
Nine months into his time at Georgia, Giusca is confident that over the course of this year, this group of players and coaches have developed into "the most respected program in the country."
Unfortunately, early on, his contribution to this legacy did not come as easily as he had hoped.
Starting off his fifth and final season on court three in singles, the success that surrounded him at Clemson evaded him at Georgia was replaced by a period of adversity.
For most athletes, when reflecting on a prosperous collegiate career, the moments they reflect on most fondly revolve around the glint of a trophy, the legacy of a banner, or the satisfaction of a ring.
For Giusca however, this moment took place in a hotel lobby, with the somber sting of a loss hanging ominously over his head.
Backed against a wall in Chicago, Georgia's tennis team was unable to escape with a win during the team's match against Illinois prior to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. A devastating and hard-fought loss for the team, Giusca felt the personal weight of the disappointment on his shoulders.
"I was the match that got clinched on," Giusca admits with a sigh. "I was struggling and in a really bad mental state with my tennis."
After the match, coaches Manny Diaz and Jaime Hunt sought out Giusca to give him the support and confidence he needed in that moment. For over an hour, the two adamantly affirmed Giusca's role on the team.
"They believed in me and they encouraged me," Giusca remembers with a smile. This was the turning point for him.
Returning to play for the ITA National Team Indoor Championship with a fierce sense of purpose and a desire to prove himself, Giusca brought a renewed sense of tenacity back to the courts, where he notched two big singles wins for the team.
Seemingly overnight, the Giusca that had proven himself as an ACC player of the week at Clemson, began to dominate every opponent facing the University of Georgia.
"That loss was so hurtful that it made me want to win so bad." – and win, he did.
Since first arriving at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, nine months ago, Giusca has gone on to win 17 matches on the year in singles, anchoring court five for the Bulldogs with five wins, and collecting nine dual wins across courts three, four, five, and six, but his influence at Georgia goes beyond his success on the courts.
Reflecting on his time at Georgia, as senior day approaches, emotions are running high for Giusca and his teammates.
"It's definitely different for me than for them," Giusca explains, having only shared one season with his teammates, many of whom have played together for five years, "but they've welcomed me with open arms and I felt part of the family."
In the most trying times of his transfer process, Giusca cites the support from his coaches and teammates as the crutch that propelled him into adjusting his game at Georgia.
"It's never easy to come to a new place," Giusca admits, but he never had to face these challenges alone.
"They're good guys," Giusca explains, "Even at the beginning when I was struggling a bit, they were all supportive of me. There is no one as close as our team."
Looking ahead to the senior day match against Ole Miss on April 15th, Giusca has full faith that Georgia's fans can pack their home stadium.
"What more could you hope for?" Giusca asked with a chuckle, excited to honor the incredible work these players have put in throughout their careers.
With an SEC Championship under his belt, Giusca is proud to say that he is going to "be a Bulldog forever."
However, for both Giusca and his teammates, the work isn't done yet.
This teams' incredible seniors may have finished their careers with an SEC championship, but Giusca believes there is still more to come.
Confident that this isn't the end of their time together on the courts, Giusca can't help but feel the draw of a national championship as he prepares for the postseason, his ring finger itching for the pinnacle of collegiate athletic success.
His eyes are set on the matches before him, hopeful that the final destination of his collegiate journey will be the winners' podium at the 2023 tennis national championship—and he is determined to reach this incredible milestone.
Fueled by a passion for the sport that has been instilled in him since childhood, playing tennis at the collegiate level was not merely a choice–it was a necessity.
"I've always known I wanted to play college tennis," Giusca explains, "My dad thought it was a good pathway, just because of how many resources there are in college tennis."
Looking forward to an athletic environment that promised incredible coaching and a supportive community of teammates the question was not if he would continue to play in college, but rather where.
A promising player in Romania, Giusca's impressive tennis performance attracted the eyes of numerous universities in the United States by the time he was ready to enroll. Highly sought after by Clemson University, Giusca elected to begin his collegiate career with the Tigers.
From his first moments in South Carolina, Giusca began to establish himself as a pivotal player on Clemon's roster. With the versatility to draw wins in both singles and doubles matches, his talent allowed him to succeed in both competitions. With each season that passed, his hunger and drive only continued to grow.
By his senior season, Giusca was a force to be reckoned with on and off the courts with 64 wins in singles and 52 in doubles, leading Clemson on courts one and two while collecting academic accolades left and right.
Both his record and his fans saw nothing but success, but Giusca was desperate for change.
Leaving the comfort zone is never easy, and transferring after four years of impressive play was no exception. But, for Giusca, it wasn't about the numbers alone. Ready to go on to the next chapter and explore new opportunities, he had only one criteria when weighing his options.
In eager pursuit of a new challenge and opportunity for growth, the decision to transfer propelled Giusca in a leap of faith.
Giusca was ready for a shot at a national championship.
Stepping foot in Athens in fall of 2022 was a surreal experience for Giusca. No stranger to the rich traditions and culture of the Classic City and its men's tennis program, his adoption of the Bulldog spirit was instantaneous.
Giusca can't help but beam with pride when discussing the community that surrounds his school.
"Georgia has the best fans in the world," Giusca affirms with a smile.
Nine months into his time at Georgia, Giusca is confident that over the course of this year, this group of players and coaches have developed into "the most respected program in the country."
Unfortunately, early on, his contribution to this legacy did not come as easily as he had hoped.
Starting off his fifth and final season on court three in singles, the success that surrounded him at Clemson evaded him at Georgia was replaced by a period of adversity.
For most athletes, when reflecting on a prosperous collegiate career, the moments they reflect on most fondly revolve around the glint of a trophy, the legacy of a banner, or the satisfaction of a ring.
For Giusca however, this moment took place in a hotel lobby, with the somber sting of a loss hanging ominously over his head.
Backed against a wall in Chicago, Georgia's tennis team was unable to escape with a win during the team's match against Illinois prior to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. A devastating and hard-fought loss for the team, Giusca felt the personal weight of the disappointment on his shoulders.
"I was the match that got clinched on," Giusca admits with a sigh. "I was struggling and in a really bad mental state with my tennis."
After the match, coaches Manny Diaz and Jaime Hunt sought out Giusca to give him the support and confidence he needed in that moment. For over an hour, the two adamantly affirmed Giusca's role on the team.
"They believed in me and they encouraged me," Giusca remembers with a smile. This was the turning point for him.
Returning to play for the ITA National Team Indoor Championship with a fierce sense of purpose and a desire to prove himself, Giusca brought a renewed sense of tenacity back to the courts, where he notched two big singles wins for the team.
Seemingly overnight, the Giusca that had proven himself as an ACC player of the week at Clemson, began to dominate every opponent facing the University of Georgia.
"That loss was so hurtful that it made me want to win so bad." – and win, he did.
Since first arriving at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex, nine months ago, Giusca has gone on to win 17 matches on the year in singles, anchoring court five for the Bulldogs with five wins, and collecting nine dual wins across courts three, four, five, and six, but his influence at Georgia goes beyond his success on the courts.
Reflecting on his time at Georgia, as senior day approaches, emotions are running high for Giusca and his teammates.
"It's definitely different for me than for them," Giusca explains, having only shared one season with his teammates, many of whom have played together for five years, "but they've welcomed me with open arms and I felt part of the family."
In the most trying times of his transfer process, Giusca cites the support from his coaches and teammates as the crutch that propelled him into adjusting his game at Georgia.
"It's never easy to come to a new place," Giusca admits, but he never had to face these challenges alone.
"They're good guys," Giusca explains, "Even at the beginning when I was struggling a bit, they were all supportive of me. There is no one as close as our team."
Looking ahead to the senior day match against Ole Miss on April 15th, Giusca has full faith that Georgia's fans can pack their home stadium.
"What more could you hope for?" Giusca asked with a chuckle, excited to honor the incredible work these players have put in throughout their careers.
With an SEC Championship under his belt, Giusca is proud to say that he is going to "be a Bulldog forever."
However, for both Giusca and his teammates, the work isn't done yet.
This teams' incredible seniors may have finished their careers with an SEC championship, but Giusca believes there is still more to come.
Confident that this isn't the end of their time together on the courts, Giusca can't help but feel the draw of a national championship as he prepares for the postseason, his ring finger itching for the pinnacle of collegiate athletic success.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
Georgia Men's Tennis NCAA Round 2 vs NC State - Postmatch Interview - Coach Hunt
Sunday, May 04
Georgia Men's Tennis NCAA Round 1 vs UNCW - Video Recap
Saturday, May 03
Georgia Men's Tennis SEC Tournament vs Oklahoma Post-match Interview - Coach Hunt
Thursday, April 17
Georgia Men's Tennis Feature - Lifelong Bond: Miguel Perez Peña and Oscar Pinto Sansano
Tuesday, April 15
