The Foro Italico witnessed a seismic upset on Saturday evening. Sorana Cirstea, ranked 26th in the world, eliminated Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1 and top seed, in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 7-5) in the third round of the Italian Open.
The 36-year-old Romanian, playing her final season on tour, produced the finest result of her career. It marked her first-ever victory over a world No. 1, achieved in the most dramatic fashion: a complete turnaround from a seemingly lost position.
The first set had been a masterclass from Sabalenka, who swept through 6-2 with relentless aggression. At 2-0 up in the second, the match appeared over. But that is when everything changed.
Cirstea engineered a tactical shift, increasing her first-serve percentage and taking calculated risks on return. Sabalenka's rhythm collapsed, unforced errors piling up as frustration took hold. The third set delivered high drama: Cirstea broke several times, Sabalenka fought back to level at 5-5 despite needing medical treatment for muscle discomfort, but the Romanian held her nerve on serve to close out the match.
The loss raises questions about Sabalenka's fitness ahead of Roland-Garros, just three weeks away. For Cirstea, it is a storybook moment in her farewell season: proof that at 36, freed from ranking pressure, audacity and courage still win matches.
