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First won National Championship
Angelica first won the Romanian Championship
in 1936 in Bucharest (when she was only 14-½
years old) and held it, unrivalled, until
1957 (except for the period between
1940-1944, when she was banned in Romania to
even enter into a sports gymnasium.
In 1937 at the World Championships in Baden
bei Wien, she lost a very close match to
Trude Pritzi, who advanced to the finals
with Aarons. Both of them were disqualified
(there was no world champion that year).
Angelica came in 3rd place in
Mixed Doubles together with Cibi Eros.
In 1939, she lost in Cairo to Depetrisova,
who won the title (in five sets, 22-20 with
a net-dribbler). She was in the Women’s
Doubles finals with Sari Szasz and finished
third in the team event. After this there
was a break in her table tennis career; Jews
weren’t allowed in public places (just when
she turned 18).
At the end of World War II, Angelica married
Lulu Rozeanu, and in 1945 gave birth to
Mihaela (Miki), who today holds a senior
position at Elbit Computers in Haifa.
After WWII, she returned to participate in
competitions. In 1947, there was a grueling,
historic defensive duel at the World
Championships at Wembley against a
hard-faced Giselle Farkas when, although
losing by a shade, Angelica’s performance
and sportsmanship won the hearts of the
entire crowd. It was a remarkable
performance, but as she left the arena
smiling a graceful acknowledgement to the
cheers, she determined that she would
acquire a “killing” drive. Not merely a hard
hit, but a hit of such force, angle and
timing, that not even the talents of Farkas
could withstand. For this, she planned and
practiced with the patience and persistence
of a great champion..
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