World number one Aryna Sabalenka suffered a 2-6 6-3 7-5 defeat to Romania's Sorana Cirstea on Saturday, marking her second loss in three matches ahead of the French Open.
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World number one Aryna Sabalenka was defeated by Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the Italian Open third round on Saturday, extending her recent struggles with a 2-6 6-3 7-5 loss in Rome.
The Belarusian's defeat came just 11 days after she missed six match points in a quarter-final loss to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open on April 28. That Madrid loss was only her second defeat of the year, and Saturday's result in Rome marks her second loss in three matches.
Sabalenka took a medical time-out late in the third set for treatment on her lower back. She acknowledged her performance fell short, saying after the match: "I feel like I didn't play well from the beginning till the end."
The loss ends Sabalenka's streak of reaching the quarter-finals or better in 17 consecutive tournaments. It is also her earliest exit since the Dubai Championships in February 2025.
Cirstea, ranked 27th, secured her first victory over a world number one. The 36-year-old Romanian is set to retire at the end of the season, though she joked after the win that she might reconsider if she were to win the tournament.
Sabalenka's defeat comes with the French Open beginning in less than two weeks. The injury concern and recent form represent a setback in her preparations for the Grand Slam event. Elena Rybakina, currently ranked second, could gain ground on Sabalenka in the rankings during this period.
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