Cirstea stages stunning comeback against world number one
Aryna Sabalenka suffered a surprising early exit at the Italian Open after losing to Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea in a dramatic three-set encounter in Rome. The world number one went down 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third round despite making a dominant start to the match.
Injury concerns trouble Sabalenka
Sabalenka appeared to struggle physically as the contest progressed and reportedly took a medical timeout during the deciding set. The Belarusian star fought back to level the score at 5-5, but Cirstea held her nerve to secure one of the biggest wins of her career.
The defeat marks Sabalenka’s earliest tournament exit in more than a year and continues a difficult clay-court swing ahead of the upcoming French Open.
Cirstea creates history in Rome
For Cirstea, the victory was particularly special as it marked her first-ever win against a reigning world number one. The 36-year-old Romanian, who has indicated that this could be her farewell season, produced an inspired comeback after losing the opening set comfortably.
Sinner prepares for home challenge
Meanwhile, Italian star Jannik Sinner continued preparations for his campaign in Rome as home fans eagerly await his opening match. The men’s world number one is aiming for a strong run at his home Masters event after an impressive season on tour so far.t
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