Sori Story: Cirstea Shocks Sabalenka in Rome Stunner
By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, May 9, 2026
Photo credit: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
Parting can be painful.
Sorana Cirstea continues pumping up the party in creating a festive farewell.
The 36-year-old Cirstea stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Rome round of 16 in a thrill ride of a match.
Playing her 20th and final pro season, Cirstea scored her first career win over a world No. 1—and reached her 20th WTA 1000 round of 16.
Winless in six prior meetings vs. world No. 1 players, Cirstea slashed two strong serves to close a two hour, 13-minute triumph.
Sabalenka, who took treatment for a lower back issue while trailing 3-4 in the final set, credited Cirstea for delivering dynamic tennis.
“Yeah, I feel like I didn’t play well from the beginning till the end,” Sabalenka said. “I started really well, but
then I kind of dropped the level. Felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the highest level.
“She stepped in and played incredible tennis. Didn’t really give me much opportunities.”
In a stirring performance, Cirstea continues to make a case for extending her career.
Though she announced 2026 would be her final season, Cirstea has crafted career renaissance. In February, she crushed 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-0, 6-2, to capture her fourth career championship at the Transylvania Open. More recently, Cirstea has contested quarterfinals in Linz and semifinals in Rouen all preparation for the Romanian at crunch time today.
“She’s a fighter,” Sabalenka said of Cirstea. “It’s kind of like it’s sad to see her leaving because I feel like she’s one of those players that’s fighting no matter what. I felt like she could stay for longer.
“It’s her choice. We all respect that. I just wish her the best season to finish her career.”
This upset came hours after Elise Mertens saved three match points dethroning defending champion and home hero Jasmine Paolini 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3.
“Today I was feeling good. I played so-and-so the match points, especially the third one,” a gutted Paolini said. “Unfortunately it’s tennis and can happen.
“It’s tough to, I don’t know, get through this lose because I’m in Italy. I want to play more matches. I wanted to play more matches. It’s nice to play in front of this crowd. They give me energy. But today wasn’t enough, I mean, from my side for the people.”
The 26th-seeded Cirstea, who leveled her head-to-head with Sabalenka at 2-2, scored her 24th career Top 10 win.
Cirstea improved to 23-7 on the season and will face 13th-seeded Linda Noskova for a quarterfinal spot.
The top-seeded Sabalenka suffered just her third loss of the season, falling to 27-3 in 2026.
You can make a case that this tight test was Sabalenka’s most definitive defeat of a commanding season.
Two weeks ago, American Hailey Baptiste saved six match points dethroning defending Madrid Open champion Sabalenka 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) to reach the Madrid Open semifinals.
Sunshine Double champion Sabalenka saw her 15-match winning streak snapped and her quest to become the first woman to win four Mutua Madrid Open championships denied. Sabalenka led the Australian Open final 3-0 in the final set before Elena Rybakina reeled off six of the last seven games stunning Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to capture her maiden Australian Open championship with a committed comeback.
Today, Cirstea slammed a series of deep returns on pivotal points that sometimes sent the top seed jumping back as if bit by the sting of static electricity.
Cirstea converted six of 12 break points. The 2009 French Open quarterfinalist served for the match at 5-4, was broken, but broke Sabalenka right back for 6-5.
Serving for her first win over a world No. 1, Cirstea calmly connected on those serves to seal it.
Proactive Cirstea court positioning, some Sabalenka forehand misfires and a couple of funky bounces that befuddled the Belarusian helped Cirstea turn the second set around.
Trailing 2-3, Cirstea was straddling the baseline, adapting to Sabalenka’s screaming pace and extending points as much as possible. Those elements helped Cirstea craft a four-game surge to snatch the second set from a break down.
A calm Cirstea slammed a bounce smash capping a love hold to take the second set and force a decider after one hour, 12 minutes.
It was just the eighth set Sabalenka surrendered all season.
The pair traded breaks to start the third set.
In a move that surely made co-coach Max “The Beast” Mirnyi proud, Sabalenka pulled off a slick serve-and-half-volley holding at at 15 for a 2-1 third-seat lead.
Tension escalated in a draining fifth game that saw Sabalenka save three break points only to net a forehand volley to face a fourth break point. Cirstea crunched a deep return. Moving backward, a jumpy Sabalenka jerked a forehand wide.
The 36-year-old Cirstea scored her fifth break for a 3-2 third-set lead.
Holding to close the gap to 3-4, Sabalenka consulted the physio for treatment on her hip during a three-minute medical timeout.
Though she had plenty of time to sit and contemplate her position, Cirstea came out and held at 15 stretching her lead to 5-3.
A smooth-moving Cirstea barely made a mis-step in closing her first world No. 1 and quickly moved to the edge of the stands sharing the moment by signing autographs and posing for selfies with adoring fans.
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