Sorana Cirstea stunned Aryna Sabalenka at the Italian Open, and then addressed her retirement plans (Image: Sky Sports)
Sorana Cirstea has suggested she might be compelled to reconsider her upcoming retirement after securing the most significant victory of her career in what is expected to be her final year on tour. At 36, the Romanian declared that 2026 would mark her farewell season, yet she’s been performing at her peak.
Cirstea is presently ranked No. 27 globally, just six positions shy of the career-high she achieved in 2013, and she captured a title in Cluj earlier this season. Now, she’s delivered one of the most shocking upsets at the Italian Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka to secure her first-ever win against a world No. 1.
Cirstea rallied from a set and break deficit to seal a 2-6 6-4 7-5 triumph, maintaining her composure after being broken while serving for the match at 5-4 in the final set. It represented Sabalenka’s earliest tournament exit since February 2025, and supporters are now eager to learn whether Cirstea will reconsider her retirement decision.
During her on-court interview on Campo Centrale, the Romanian was asked: “Sorana, we know this is your last year on tour, but is there nothing that we can do to make you change your mind? Please, we are all asking that!”
She responded coyly: “Maybe if I win the tournament, I promise I will think about it!” However, Cirstea spoke with Sky Sports after stepping off the court, and was questioned about whether she would genuinely contemplate prolonging her career given her exceptional form. “Yeah, I mean it’s been, definitely, much better than I expected,” she replied.
Sorana Cirstea came from a set and break down to upset Aryna Sabalenka (Image: Getty)
“Already last year, I started to play well, end of the season, and last year I was already thinking about the idea to finish and then I played very good end of the year, and then I said ‘Okay, I’m gonna give myself another year’.”
“Because I’m also at the age where I’m also enjoying this, like I said, I’m working hard, but I’m also enjoying it. And I found that beautiful balance, and I absolutely love tennis, and we will see.”
Cirstea is well aware of the widespread curiosity surrounding her retirement and whether she will truly step away from the sport at the end of the season. Whatever she ultimately decides, she still has a number of goals she wants to accomplish before she walks away.
“Everyone has been asking me, like, ‘You cannot retire, you cannot retire!’ and I mean, again, at this moment, my mind is set. But we will see what I can achieve this year and again, even if this is my last year, I still have a lot of goals and things to improve, and I go every day on the court with a plan,” she explained.
“For me, this is what gets me going every day, even if I’m at my age and last year, I still think I can improve so many things. Again, I feel I found that balance, I’m very grateful to tennis and also very grateful for everything I’m experiencing.”
This triumph proved particularly meaningful for the world No. 27, who had endured difficult defeats against top-10 players Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva throughout the clay court season. “Absolutely, it was because I feel I’ve been playing really well, and I lost a couple of tight ones against the top girls,” she explained.
“I lost a tight one against Coco last week in Madrid, and then against Andreeva in Linz, and I really felt that I can win these matches. It’s nice, like I said, I work really hard so it’s nice when you get the results because it means I’m putting the right work. I’m not just working hard, I’m working smart.”