A tenista número um do mundo, Aryna Sabalenka, foi eliminada neste sábado (9) do WTA 1000 de Roma. A atleta bielorrussa perdeu para a romena Sorana Cirstea (27ª colocada) por dois sets a um, de virada, pela terceira rodada.
A jogadora experiente de 36 anos finalizou o confronto com parciais de 2-6, 6-3 e 7-5, em 2 horas e 14 minutos. Cirstea infligiu a terceira derrota de Sabalenka this year.
Check out the complete WTA 1000 Rome draw
The WTA world No. 1 played her last major clay-court tournament before Roland Garros, which begins on May 24. Rome remains one of the few WTA 1000 tournaments Sabalenka has not won — she was runner-up in 2024.
The 28-year-old Belarusian showed physical difficulties due to hip pain, which forced her to request medical attention during the third set. The incident further raised doubts about her condition for Roland Garros.
See the details of Aryna Sabalenka 1-2 Sorana Cirstea
Sabalenka was coming off a strong season, having been runner-up at the Australian Open and winning titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami. On clay, however, she fell in the quarterfinals in Madrid and now suffered another disappointment in Rome.
Having qualified for the round of 16, Sorana Cirstea will face Czech Linda Nosková.
