Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated in the third round of the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome on Saturday, the last major tune-up before Roland-Garros (May 24 to June 7), where she reached the final last year but ultimately lost.
Sabalenka, a finalist on the Roman clay in 2024, fell to Romania’s Sorana Cirstea (ranked 27th) with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, suffering just her third defeat of the season.
The 28-year-old Belarusian showed signs of hip discomfort, which forced her to call for medical assistance during the third set.
Until the start of the clay-court swing, Sabalenka had posted a near-perfect 2024 season, with a final appearance at the Australian Open and titles in Brisbane, Indian Wells, and Miami. However, on clay her momentum slowed: she was first eliminated in the quarterfinals in Madrid by American Hailey Baptiste in three sets, and now adds another disappointment in Rome, one of the few WTA 1000 events that continues to elude her. Last season, she lost the Roland-Garros final to American Coco Gauff.