Cirstea reaches first Rome semi-final at 36, downing Ostapenko in her farewell season
Sorana Cirstea (No 26) reached the first Rome semi-final of her career at 36, beating Jeļena Ostapenko (No 22) 6-1, 7-6(0) and her second win over a Grand Slam champion in four days.
Sorana Cirstea, Rome 2026 | © FITP
Romanian No. 26 seed Sorana Cirstea reached the first Rome semi-final of her career with a 6-1, 7-6(0) win over Latvian No. 22 seed Jeļena Ostapenko in the round of 16 at the Rome WTA 1000, the 36-year-old completing the win in straight sets with a love tie-break.
Cirstea was untouchable in the opener, breaking three times and conceding only one game to a 2017 Roland-Garros champion who could not find her targets. Ostapenko fought back in the second, building a 5-3 lead and looking to force a decider. Cirstea did not let her serve out the set, breaking back to send the match into a tie-break – and then ran away with it, winning it 7-0.
It is the second Grand Slam champion Cirstea has beaten at this tournament in four days, after she dethroned world No. 1 and three-time major winner Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. It is also her fourth WTA 1000 semi-final and her first at this level for two years. The Romanian has now won eight of her last 10 matches.
Cirstea, who announced before the season that 2026 would be her last on tour, has already told the Foro Italico crowd that a Rome title would force her to rethink that decision. Two more wins now stand between her and the trophy. She will face the winner of Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva for a place in the final.
