World number one Aryna Sabalenkova heads into the French Open with growing concerns after suffering yet another shock defeat during a turbulent clay court season. Just days after her stunning loss to American Hailey Baptiste in Madrid, Sabalenka crashed out of the Italian Open following a dramatic three-set defeat to Romanian Sorana Cirstea in Rome.
Sabalenka’s struggles on clay continued on Saturday, when Cirstea produced one of the biggest upsets of the tournament when she defeated the Belarusian 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third round of the Italian Open after a set and a break.
The Romanian veteran, who is playing what is expected to be her final season on tour, secured the first victory over the world number one of her career with a memorable victory in Rome.
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The defeat further exposed Sabalenkova’s inconsistent form before Roland Garros. Despite a strong start to the season and retaining the world number one ranking, Belarus has struggled to dominate on clay in recent weeks.
Sorana Cirstea’s reaction after defeating Aryna Sabalenkova in Rome
A 36-year-old veteran who spent 20 years of her life playing professional tennis
To get the first win over #1 in her last year on tour is so special
Look at that smile
Simply priceless pic.twitter.com/SW9MOMzDie— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 9, 2026
SABALENKA RUNS OUT EARLY ADVANTAGE
Against Cirstea, she appeared completely in control at the start, cruising through the opening set and building a 2-0 lead in the second. However, unforced errors began to creep into her game as Cirstea continued to grow in confidence.
As the match went on, Sabalenka’s frustrations became more and more visible. She also called a medical time-out in the deciding set due to leg and back discomfort, which further disrupted her rhythm. Despite briefly fighting back from 4-5 down in the third set, Cirstea held her nerve to complete the upset.
SABALENKA CONTINUES TO FIGHT ON CLAY
The latest setback comes after another painful defeat in Madrid, where Sabalenka squandered six match points before losing to Hailey Baptiste in the quarter-finals. Baptiste’s breakthrough victory marked one of the biggest results of her career and ended Sabalenka’s hopes of defending the Madrid crown.
The back-to-back defeats have raised questions about Sabalenkova’s preparation for the French Open, a tournament where she is still looking for her first title. While her powerful ground game remains one of the most dangerous weapons in women’s tennis, recent matches have highlighted her vulnerability on slower clay courts, where opponents extend serves and force her into errors.
With Roland Garros looming, Sabalenka will be hoping to quickly rediscover consistency and composure. But after shock outings in Madrid and Rome, the world number one suddenly heads to Paris under unexpected pressure.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
09 May 2026 22:42 IST
