World number one Aryna Sabalenka’s preparations for the French Open have been dealt a significant blow after she crashed out of the Italian Open in the third round on Thursday. The Belarusian sustained a 2-6 6-3 7-5 defeat to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in Rome, representing her second defeat in just 11 days and her earliest exit since February 2025. The loss is especially worrying for Sabalenka, who will protect her number one status at Roland Garros later this month, having already squandered six match points in a quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open in the preceding weeks. With just four wins and two losses on clay ahead of the French Open, Sabalenka faces mounting pressure to find her peak performance on the surface where she suffered a disappointing final loss last year.
A Concerning Run Ended in Rome
Sabalenka’s loss to Cirstea represents a sharp deterioration in consistency that will concern the world number one as she approaches the clay-court season’s most significant event. The 28-year-old had maintained an remarkable streak of making at least the last eight in her previous 17 straight tournaments, a streak that underscores just how commanding she has proven in the past few months. However, the Italian capital turned out to be the venue where that impressive record came crashing down, concluding what was a notable stretch of sustained excellence on the professional tour.
The character of the loss compounds Sabalenka’s concerns approaching Paris. She squandered several chances throughout the match, including when she broke Cirstea’s serve at 5-4 in the final set whilst the Romanian was serving to win. Yet she immediately surrendered that lead, a pattern of self-sabotage that defined her afternoon in Rome. Combined with her back problems requiring medical attention towards the end of the third set, Sabalenka’s performance indicated a player struggling both physically and mentally on clay.
- Sabalenka’s serve lost six times in the contest against Cirstea
- Won only 56% of points on her first serve in Rome
- Earliest tournament exit since Dubai Championships in February 2025
- Ended 17-tournament streak of quarter-final finishes or better
Physical Challenges and Service Issues
Old Issues Surface Anew
Sabalenka’s fitness level emerged as a significant concern during her third-round match with Cirstea in Rome. The world number one needed a medical time-out late in the third set to tackle issues affecting her lower-back area, a concerning turn of events given the physical demands of clay-court play. The Belarusian’s decision to call the trainer at 4-3 down suggested her pain was affecting her capacity to perform at maximum intensity, particularly in crucial moments when she had to maintain her aggressive baseline play.
Speaking frankly after the match, Sabalenka admitted that her body had compromised her performance throughout the contest. “I felt like my body was limiting me from performing on the top level,” she admitted, a worrying acknowledgement with the French Open just weeks away. The back issue raises questions about her fitness heading into Roland Garros, where the demanding character of best-of-three-set matches on clay demands full bodily dedication and freedom from injury concerns.
Serve Breakdown
Perhaps most troubling was the deterioration of Sabalenka’s serving ability, the very asset that has shaped her rise to world number one. Her serve was lost a striking six times throughout the match, an notably high figure for a player of her standard. Whilst she made 72 per cent of her opening serves, she won just 56 per cent of points on those serves—a notable decline from her normal level. Her second delivery proved even more troublesome, with Sabalenka winning only 11 of 26 points, exposing her to Cirstea’s aggressive returns and revealing the weakness that had affected her form from beginning to end.
| Statistic | Performance |
|---|---|
| First serve percentage | 72% |
| Points won behind first serve | 56% |
| Points won behind second serve | 42% (11 of 26) |
| Service breaks conceded | 6 |
Squandered Opportunities Against Cirstea
Sabalenka’s defeat against the departing Romanian was even more frustrating given the many chances she wasted throughout the contest. The top-ranked player was twice a set and a break ahead, situations from which she should have comfortably beaten the veteran Cirstea. In particular, at 5-4 in the third set, Sabalenka broke her opponent’s serve when the Romanian was serving to win the match—a critical juncture that would have provided her the opportunity to secure victory. However, she immediately handed the advantage back in the very next game, a costly lapse in focus that was ultimately deciding.
The momentum rapidly shifted in Cirstea’s favour following this crucial mistake. Sabalenka then lost five games in succession, a collapse that saw her visibly frustrated, slapping at a ball in irritation as her control evaporated. Despite showing signs of a potential comeback when she broke Cirstea again whilst the Romanian served for the match at 5-4, Sabalenka could not maintain the pressure. Cirstea’s excellent return game restored her lead, and she converted her opening match point when Sabalenka’s return sailed long, ending the Belarusian’s chances of saving the contest.
- Twice ahead by a set and break but could not capitalise on either advantage into victory
- Dropped five consecutive games whilst serving to stay in the second set
- Broke Cirstea at 5-4 in the third but immediately lost her own serve thereafter
French Open Arrangements in Doubt
Sabalenka’s loss to Cirstea represents a notable blow in her preparations for the French Open, which occurs in the coming weeks. The loss represents her earliest exit from a tournament since the Dubai Championships in February 2025, concluding an remarkable run of making the quarter-finals in 17 consecutive tournaments. With only a fortnight left before Roland Garros, the world number one will come in Paris with a troubling record on clay of four victories and two defeats—hardly the form one would expect from a competitor of her standing approaching one of tennis’s most prestigious events.
The physical toll of the match has also raised concerns about Sabalenka’s readiness for the gruelling demands of a Grand Slam. She required a medical break towards the end of the third set to tackle lower back issues, a worrying sign given the intensity and length of matches commonly seen at Roland Garros. Combined with her second loss in just three matches, having fallen to Hailey Baptiste at Madrid on 28 April after squandering six match points, Sabalenka faces increasing pressure to rediscover her best form promptly if she is to challenge for the title this month.
Last Year’s Setback
Sabalenka will be keen to compensate for her display in last year’s French Open final, where she suffered a devastating defeat to Coco Gauff. In that contest, she made a substantial 70 unforced errors in what she herself termed “the worst final I ever played.” That loss still undoubtedly weighs on her mind, and another premature departure from Roland Garros would add to her frustration and prompt concerns about her capacity to convert her world number one ranking into Grand Slam success on clay.