"Sorana Cirstea defeated world's top women's player 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the third round as the latter suffered pain in lower back. Aryna Sabalenka's French Open preparations have suffered a setback following a third-round defeat by Sorana Cirstea at the Italian Open, with the world number one now looking to shake off an injury before the Grand Slam that begins in less than two weeks. Sabalenka needed treatment late in her meeting with Cirstea on Saturday before she fell 6-2, 3-6, 5-7 for her second defeat in three matches after a quarterfinal loss to Hailey Baptiste at the Madrid Open last month."
"It was a first win over a world number one for the 36-year-old Romanian, who is playing her final professional season. I'm very, very happy, a beaming Cirstea said. Aryna is an amazing player. I thought I played really well today. I'm working really, really hard. It's nice to have this result as payoff. Sabalenka was visibly frustrated with her performance on centre court, muttering to herself with her shoulders slumped during an uncharacteristically sloppy display."
"I feel like I didn't play well from the beginning till the end. I started really well, but I dropped the level, four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka said in Rome. I felt like my body was limiting me from performing at the highest level. She stepped in and played incredible tennis. She didn't really give me many opportunities. That was a tough one. But I guess we never lose; we only learn, so it's OK."
"Sabalenka's disappointing clay court swing follows a stellar run on hardcourts, during which she captured the Brisbane title, reached the Australian Open final and claimed back-to-back trophies in Indian Wells and Miami. The Belarusian said she now hoped to regain her fitness in time for the French Open, which gets under way in Paris on May 24, after losing last year's final against Coco Gauff. I'd say that probably it's "
Sorana Cirstea defeated world number one Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the Italian Open third round. Sabalenka received treatment late in the match after feeling pain in her lower back and later described her body as limiting her performance. Cirstea won her first match against a world number one and said she played really well and worked hard for the result. Sabalenka expressed frustration with a sloppy display and said she dropped her level after starting well. The loss marked her second defeat in three matches following a quarterfinal loss at the Madrid Open. Sabalenka now aims to regain fitness before the French Open begins in less than two weeks.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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