Cirstea stuns No. 1 Sabalenka at Italian Open in farewell season

Italian Open Shaken as Sabalenka Falls to Cirstea; Gauff and Swiatek Grind Through Early Rounds

The 2026 Italian Open lost its top seed on Saturday when world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a stunning third-round defeat to 36-year-old Sorana Cirstea, reshuffling the women’s draw and opening the door for Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek as the clay-court tournament at the Foro Italico enters its second week.

Sabalenka’s Shock Exit

Cirstea, ranked 26th and playing in her final professional season, came from a set down to defeat Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a match that saw the top seed squander a commanding lead. Sabalenka had taken the first set and led 2-0 in the second before Cirstea mounted her comeback. After the match, Sabalenka cited a lower-back and hip issue that hampered her movement, and said she plans to take time off before Roland-Garros.espn

The loss marked Sabalenka’s second consecutive early exit after she was upset by Hailey Baptiste in the Madrid Open quarterfinals the week prior. Cirstea, who announced in December that 2026 would be her final season on tour, will face Linda Noskova in the round of 16.tennisnow

Gauff Survives Scare to Reach Last 16

Third-seeded Gauff advanced to the fourth round on Saturday but was forced to rally from a set down against Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra, winning 5-7, 6-0, 6-4 in two hours and ten minutes. Gauff trailed by a double break in the third set before clawing back to close out the match.wtatennis

The 21-year-old American, who reached the Rome final last year before falling to Jasmine Paolini, now has 19 career match wins in Rome — more than at any other non-major event. Despite the victory, Gauff acknowledged she is in a “weird place” this season, still searching for her first title of 2026 with a 19-8 record.tennismajors

Swiatek Battles Through, But Faces Questions

Fourth-seeded Swiatek, a three-time Italian Open champion now ranked No. 3 in the WTA standings, needed three sets to get past Caty McNally 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 on Friday to reach the third round. Her new coach Francisco Roig suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a training session, adding an unwelcome disruption to her campaign.skysports

With Sabalenka gone, the draw has opened considerably for both Gauff and Swiatek, who sit on opposite sides of the bracket. Should they continue advancing, a potential final between the two could come on May 16. For now, Gauff awaits the winner of the Jovic-Townsend match in the round of 16, while Swiatek faces either Emma Navarro or Elisabetta Cocciaretto for a spot in the last 16.ahram