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Acing the Game: Balus Reflects on Her Tennis Journey So Far
2/25/2025 9:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C.-- No one can deny that rookie Irina Balus is absolutely smashing it on the tennis court this season. Balus continues to make waves as a new Blue Devil, boasting a 13-4 ledger in singles play – seven of those wins being against ranked opponents. Her success on the court has slotted the freshman's name at No. 8 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles rankings, All-American honors and helped her clinch ACC Freshman of the Week accolades on January 28 and Feb. 19.
Yet Balus is no stranger to the hard work, sacrifice, and grit it takes to see such progress and achievements during your rookie year. The freshman has been perfecting her game since kindergarten, where she joined a local tennis academy with her cousin in her hometown of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. A popular women's sport in her home country, Balus' world revolved around tennis – and her passion for the sport is vividly clear just from listening to her speak about her experiences.
"I started representing Slovakia when I was 11. That's when I played my first Winter Cup, which is a European Championship," said Balus.
With dreams of going pro, Balus started getting serious about her game early in her adolescence. In 2019, she had the opportunity to represent Slovakia again at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan.
"I still think about it, representing my country and playing against players from different countries," said Balus. "It was amazing. They really made it like an Olympic experience."
At 15, she began traveling more to compete in international tournaments, including the Junior Australian Open, Junior Wimbledon, and Junior U.S. Open in 2022 and the Australian Open again in 2023. Balus spoke on one of her favorite experiences overseas, the 2022 Trofeo Bonfiglio tournament in Milan, Italy.
"That was really fun because all the players from the Slovak federation were there. I was playing with another Slovak girl in doubles, and we lost in the final, so it was a very good result."
Attending high school at the same time, Balus' training regimen had to increase two-fold as she continued to elevate her play and compete on the international stage. Her hectic schedule featured practices before and after school hours, followed by strength and conditioning sessions in the afternoon and many late nights spent doing homework. Finding that she was missing a lot of school for practices and travel to tournaments – and needing to up her game even more – Balus made the decision to move away from home at 16.
"My hometown wasn't very big, so as I got older, there weren't as many opportunities to improve. So, I had to move to the National Tennis Center."
Now living in Bratislava – two hours away from home – the rookie began training at the National Tennis Center and attending a new high school, Súkromná Stredná Športová Škola, which was more flexible about her missing school in pursuit of her tennis goals.
While adapting to an independent lifestyle was tough, Balus eventually found joy in living in Bratislava. "After I got through the first few months of trying to be an adult, I got used to it, and it was really good."
Many of her friends lived in the city, and she loved her new school.
"That school was the best decision ever. They helped me so much and they supported me: they would watch my matches and text me before and after matches," said Balus. "I'm still in contact with some of my professors, which is amazing."
Yet, recognizing the physical, mental, and financial commitment going pro required, Balus shifted her focus to collegiate play – she desired an education that would also help her improve for her professional dreams later in life. Becoming a Blue Devil was an easy decision.
"Here [at Duke] there's a very good balance between incredible academics and athletics," said Balus. "The reputation of the school – for networking and all of that – there's just so many advantages that made me decide to come here. And I'm very happy with my decision."
Having only visited the United States a handful of times for college visits and the U.S. Open, Balus' experience playing on an American team has been one of both learning and pleasant surprises.
"My entire life, I've always had people around me focusing on me and I would only have to focus on myself," Balus admitted. "That made me very individualistic – but I think that's the case for most people who play an individual sport. So, I had to learn how to give [energy] back to my teammates."
The freshman has enjoyed having her team – and a built-in group of friends – at her back on and off the court. From traveling together for tournaments to pumping each other up before matches, the new team environment Balus is now a part of is nothing but uplifting.
"We're very good at supporting each other, and we just like being together," said Balus."
Balus has also leaned on her coaches for support as she adapts to Duke, especially assistant coach Daniel Leitner, a fellow international from Germany. She's found that the tennis culture in America is more about maintaining a positive and "next play" attitude, rather than about keeping a strict regimen of play like back home.
"Making mistakes and missing balls is just what comes with tennis since it's such a risky sport," said Balus. "I've learned that and I'm trying to be better at it."
Balus has proven throughout her rookie year so far that she can excel at even the riskiest of sports. Boasting a doubles record of 13-7, she advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship in the fall with her doubles partner, Ellie Coleman, earning the duo All-America honors – making Balus the seventh Blue Devil freshman to do so in doubles. Her current singles ITA ranking of No. 8 also makes Balus the highest ranked Duke freshman since Maria Mateas (No. 8) in 2019 and one of only eight Blue Devil freshmen in program history to be ranked in the top 10 nationally in singles. Keeping with that "next-play" attitude, Balus has another accolade she's looking to achieve this season.
"My goal is to be an All-American in singles as well," said the rookie.
As she reflected on her time at Duke so far, Balus expressed how happy she's felt as a Blue Devil, and her eagerness to share that with her family when they visit later this spring.
"I'm happy here, and I'm very proud to show them where I am and I'm very proud of my team, said Balus. "I want to show them that."
The Slovak native's passion for tennis is crystal clear in her competitive journey to Bull City. Now, Balus has let that passion fuel her joy in playing as a Blue Devil alongside her new teammates, seeing her to what will surely continue to be a successful season.
You can catch Balus and the Blue Devils back in action at Georgia Tech on Friday, March 7 at 4 p.m., in Atlanta, Ga.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
Yet Balus is no stranger to the hard work, sacrifice, and grit it takes to see such progress and achievements during your rookie year. The freshman has been perfecting her game since kindergarten, where she joined a local tennis academy with her cousin in her hometown of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. A popular women's sport in her home country, Balus' world revolved around tennis – and her passion for the sport is vividly clear just from listening to her speak about her experiences.
"I started representing Slovakia when I was 11. That's when I played my first Winter Cup, which is a European Championship," said Balus.
With dreams of going pro, Balus started getting serious about her game early in her adolescence. In 2019, she had the opportunity to represent Slovakia again at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan.
"I still think about it, representing my country and playing against players from different countries," said Balus. "It was amazing. They really made it like an Olympic experience."
At 15, she began traveling more to compete in international tournaments, including the Junior Australian Open, Junior Wimbledon, and Junior U.S. Open in 2022 and the Australian Open again in 2023. Balus spoke on one of her favorite experiences overseas, the 2022 Trofeo Bonfiglio tournament in Milan, Italy.
"That was really fun because all the players from the Slovak federation were there. I was playing with another Slovak girl in doubles, and we lost in the final, so it was a very good result."
Attending high school at the same time, Balus' training regimen had to increase two-fold as she continued to elevate her play and compete on the international stage. Her hectic schedule featured practices before and after school hours, followed by strength and conditioning sessions in the afternoon and many late nights spent doing homework. Finding that she was missing a lot of school for practices and travel to tournaments – and needing to up her game even more – Balus made the decision to move away from home at 16.
"My hometown wasn't very big, so as I got older, there weren't as many opportunities to improve. So, I had to move to the National Tennis Center."
Now living in Bratislava – two hours away from home – the rookie began training at the National Tennis Center and attending a new high school, Súkromná Stredná Športová Škola, which was more flexible about her missing school in pursuit of her tennis goals.
While adapting to an independent lifestyle was tough, Balus eventually found joy in living in Bratislava. "After I got through the first few months of trying to be an adult, I got used to it, and it was really good."
Many of her friends lived in the city, and she loved her new school.
"That school was the best decision ever. They helped me so much and they supported me: they would watch my matches and text me before and after matches," said Balus. "I'm still in contact with some of my professors, which is amazing."
Yet, recognizing the physical, mental, and financial commitment going pro required, Balus shifted her focus to collegiate play – she desired an education that would also help her improve for her professional dreams later in life. Becoming a Blue Devil was an easy decision.
"Here [at Duke] there's a very good balance between incredible academics and athletics," said Balus. "The reputation of the school – for networking and all of that – there's just so many advantages that made me decide to come here. And I'm very happy with my decision."
Having only visited the United States a handful of times for college visits and the U.S. Open, Balus' experience playing on an American team has been one of both learning and pleasant surprises.
"My entire life, I've always had people around me focusing on me and I would only have to focus on myself," Balus admitted. "That made me very individualistic – but I think that's the case for most people who play an individual sport. So, I had to learn how to give [energy] back to my teammates."
The freshman has enjoyed having her team – and a built-in group of friends – at her back on and off the court. From traveling together for tournaments to pumping each other up before matches, the new team environment Balus is now a part of is nothing but uplifting.
"We're very good at supporting each other, and we just like being together," said Balus."
Balus has also leaned on her coaches for support as she adapts to Duke, especially assistant coach Daniel Leitner, a fellow international from Germany. She's found that the tennis culture in America is more about maintaining a positive and "next play" attitude, rather than about keeping a strict regimen of play like back home.
"Making mistakes and missing balls is just what comes with tennis since it's such a risky sport," said Balus. "I've learned that and I'm trying to be better at it."
Balus has proven throughout her rookie year so far that she can excel at even the riskiest of sports. Boasting a doubles record of 13-7, she advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championship in the fall with her doubles partner, Ellie Coleman, earning the duo All-America honors – making Balus the seventh Blue Devil freshman to do so in doubles. Her current singles ITA ranking of No. 8 also makes Balus the highest ranked Duke freshman since Maria Mateas (No. 8) in 2019 and one of only eight Blue Devil freshmen in program history to be ranked in the top 10 nationally in singles. Keeping with that "next-play" attitude, Balus has another accolade she's looking to achieve this season.
"My goal is to be an All-American in singles as well," said the rookie.
As she reflected on her time at Duke so far, Balus expressed how happy she's felt as a Blue Devil, and her eagerness to share that with her family when they visit later this spring.
"I'm happy here, and I'm very proud to show them where I am and I'm very proud of my team, said Balus. "I want to show them that."
The Slovak native's passion for tennis is crystal clear in her competitive journey to Bull City. Now, Balus has let that passion fuel her joy in playing as a Blue Devil alongside her new teammates, seeing her to what will surely continue to be a successful season.
You can catch Balus and the Blue Devils back in action at Georgia Tech on Friday, March 7 at 4 p.m., in Atlanta, Ga.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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